Underneath the Crystal Moon
by WickedGame
Summary: Sequel to A Prophecy Speaks. Everyone finds love in their own way, but how will the triplets of the Goblin Kingdom find theirs? OC's, a little JS.
1. Prologue

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

**By: WickedGame**

**a/n: I do not own Labyrinth, I do own all original characters. This is a three-part story. **

**Part One – Phoenix. **

**Part Two – Damien. **

**Part Three – Eamon.**

**Prologue**

Three beautiful Fae children lay on their backs in a moonlit garden, holding hands and staring at the crystal moon. One had pale blond hair with black tips that shone like silver and the bright green eyes of his mother. One had raven black hair with blond streaks and the mismatched eyes of his father. The girl had red hair with streaks of black and white and eyes that shone with the glow of fire, bright orbs of light. They were triplets, three parts of a whole. They were heirs to all their parents surveyed, and held the legacy of a great kingdom.

They were always this close, rarely straying from one another. Even as the boys grew taller, the girl stayed petite. They were all three strong-willed, strong-minded, imaginative dreamers.

Finally the blonde prince spoke.

"Do you believe that we will ever love like mom and dad?"

The raven-haired prince considered his response before answering.

"A love like theirs is damned near impossible to find Eamon. Dad had loved mom long before she even ran the Labyrinth. Plus, we have to consider that they may have never married if it weren't for the prophecy. I do not know if there is a woman or a man out there that we could love as much as mom and dad love each other," he said in his quiet voice. Damien never said much, but when he did he tended to astound people with his intelligence.

The red head stayed quiet, daydreaming of a man she could love. She dreamt of more things than castles and balls. That stuff she could do without. She wanted someone that could dream with her. Finally, she spoke in her ethereal voice. It was sweet and clear.

"One day we will," Phoenix said, and knew she had to believe it.

And they lay there like they did every night since they were kids, holding hands and dreaming of what was to come underneath the crystal moon.


	2. Phoenix Chapter 1

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own labyrinth. I do own all original characters.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter One

All that could be heard in the vast hallway was the vicious tapping of a black leather crop against a slender thigh. The crop's owner had on black riding pants, black leather boots, and a white poet's shirt that was open halfway down her alabaster chest. A black riding hat held in her hair, but anyone with any kind of knowledge whatsoever knew that this petite, vicious being was Her Highness, Princess Phoenix of the Goblin Kingdom. And right now everyone was staying out of her way. Her face was like a thundercloud as she stalked the castle.

The Princess had been out riding her black stallion, Daemon. She rode him every day, over the lands that surrounded the Labyrinth. She frequently was gone for hours. And today she had been cresting a lovely little hill when she saw a bubble float in front of her and land on her outstretched palm. It turned into a note that then brought her back to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City.

_"Phoenix, come back right now. I need to see you in my study. – Dad"_

Phoenix hated being pulled away from her daily ride. And now she wanted to know what her father wanted so badly he had to take her away from the land. She knocked on his study door respectfully. She knew there would be no sense in her storming in. He would just send her to the bog if she did that. No one had ever called Phoenix stupid.

"Come," was all her father said, and she opened the door.

Why the Goblin King felt like he needed to keep his study dark she had no idea, but there he was, in a darkly appointed study, sitting behind a large mahogany desk. His pale blond hair stood out in the dark room. Phoenix closed the door behind her and flopped into a large black club chair. Her dad looked up at arched and amused eyebrow at her.

"Princess Phoenix, ladies do not flop," Jareth admonished her gently.

"I'm not a lady, and you interrupted my ride," Phoenix pointed out.

"You **are **a lady, whether you like it or not. And I interrupted your ride with good reason. Your brothers have both gone with me when I have been called to take a child away. Now it is your turn," he told her.

"Now?" Phoenix asked.

"No, not now. The next time I am called. Could be hours, could be weeks. My dear, it could even be years, although I doubt that. Mortals are never thankful for the things they have. I will let you know when it is time. You can go," Jareth told his young daughter. Phoenix was, in truth, very young for a Fae. If you wanted to put it into human years you could say she was about eighteen or so.

Phoenix was startlingly beautiful. She could have been born with the dark hair of her mother like her brother Damien was, or she could have inherited her father's pale locks like her brother Eamon. But no, something happened to her while she was in her mother's womb. Her mother had used a power when she was pregnant that had changed Phoenix's hair to a bright red. There were streaks of black and pale blond laced throughout her hair, but red was the primary color. And she did not have the green eyes of her mother or the mismatched eyes of her father. Her eyes instead shone with light, and had no distinct color. She was the only person to ever be born with such traits. Her hair was cut in an edgy style, falling in layers around her face. The layers were long enough that she could put her hair up for state functions, but she almost always left it down.

The young princess had decided to go find her mother. If the Goblin King was in his study then his wife, the Goblin Queen, was more than likely in the audience room, taking care of the kingdom. And that was where she found her, humming softly while reading a book. Phoenix was willing to bet her mother did not even know she was in the room. Sarah got lost in books. Phoenix did to, when she had time to pick one up. She walked up to her mother and tipped the book down. Her mothers emerald green eyes looked up at her. Sarah marked her place and looked straight at her young daughter.

"How's it going?" Phoenix asked, taking the seat next to Sarah.

"Your father interrupted your ride?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, Daemon was quite upset. Dad wants me to go along the next time he is called," Phoenix told her mother.

"Have you had lunch?" Sarah asked her daughter.

"No. Want me to send for something?"

"Just because I am pregnant again does not mean I cannot send for lunch myself," Sarah said with a huff. Sarah was pregnant for the third time. Besides Aaron, Eamon, Damien, and herself Sarah had one other child. Phoenix's little sister's name was Tanwen. Tanwen was only about twelve.

"Have you looked to see what he or she is yet?" Phoenix asked her mom.

"Another girl!" Sarah said happily. If there was a thing Sarah was good at besides being a queen, it was being a mom. Phoenix guessed it was because of her mom's experiences taking care of her brother, Toby.

"What's her name?"

"Ophelia, the name of Hamlet's tragically insane sister," Sarah sighed. Phoenix laughed, and sent a sphere to have lunch brought to the gardens. Phoenix held out a hand to her mother. They walked out to the gazebo in the gardens, next to the pond. As always, Sarah conjured a flower to place on Hoggle's gravestone. Phoenix had never known Hoggle, but she knew how much her mother had loved and respected her best friend.

They had been sitting out there for quite awhile when a beautiful young man with red hair and blue eyes came to join them. Phoenix squealed when she saw him and gave him a huge hug. Even though Aaron was not blood they all loved him just the same. He was the only older sibling they had. He worked for their father, and had, until recently, been in the dwarf kingdom helping take care of some business.

"Hey little sister," Aaron greeted her after she finally let him go. Sarah stood up and planted a kiss on her oldest son's cheek. Aaron had been adopted by Sarah when he was small. He had been the first baby wished away when she became queen, and she had fallen in love with him as soon as she had taken him. Ever since that night she had been his mother, and Jareth his father. He could not be a prince due to the fact that he was not born Fae nobility, but Jareth had made given him every title he could get away with. They all loved Aaron.

"Do you want some lunch sweetheart?" Sarah asked him.

"No, I just came to say hi before I go give Dad my report," Aaron told her.

"What's going on in the dwarf kingdom?" Sarah asked him, her eyes narrowing with interest.

"That one batch of Nogrod sympathizers had been wiped out. King Bard was very thankful for our assistance. Oh! And Queen Carys is pregnant again," Aaron told his mother. Carys was a friend and ally to the Goblin kingdom. Sarah thought that news was wonderful. Aaron took his leave after that.

Later, as Phoenix soaked in her bubble-filled bathtub, she daydreamed about sharing her life with someone. Her mother and father were so happy. At her age she longed for kisses and she longed for love. Sarah and Jareth did not believe in arranged marriages. They had both wanted to marry for love. Granted, in the end they did marry each other for love, but the whole thing had been set up long before either of them were born. They had decided the decision on whom to love and when to love would belong to their children alone. And Phoenix did not know how long she wanted to be alone.

Phoenix wanted to say there was someone. Really she did. But her someone was not tangible. In her dreams she saw a face. Wavy, light brown hair that was kept back in a ponytail, and gray eyes framed by sooty lashes. His face was honest, and his smile was bright. She did not know who he was. But dreams were hard not to pay attention to. Dreams are important. She had remembered that face, and had sketched it so many times. She was sure, that if her dream became flesh, then she would recognize him in an instant.

Would it be love? That she did not know. But when she dreamt of him she woke up feeling flushed and relaxed. He made her feel that way. There was desire too.

"Grr," Phoenix growled as she relaxed in the water. Who was he? Why did she dream of him? All questions and no answers. It was like some great puzzle to her. And, if it is a puzzle, she would try her hardest to solve it. One did not become the daughter of two great puzzle solvers without gaining some helpful knowledge, right?


	3. Phoenix Chapter 2

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own labyrinth. I do not own Legend of Zelda or Hyrule Castle either. I have not received as many reviews for this story as I thought I would so far, but hopefully that will change soon. Happy reading.

_**Part One: Phoenix **_

Chapter 2

Aidan Bishop sat at his desk in the little apartment, puzzled over his trigonometry homework. He had been left to watch his brother again. His mom was a single mother, and worked two jobs to keep food on the table and keep rent paid. Aidan himself worked part time at a fast food restaurant on weekends. Little Owen hardly ever saw his mother.

Aidan was about to turn eighteen. It would only be two more months. Why he thought being eighteen would change things he did not know.

Aidan was about six feet tall. He had wavy, light brown hair that had grown so that it brushed his shoulders. His mom wanted him to cut it, but he liked it. He kept it back in a small ponytail most of the time though. It was silky and soft. Aidan liked to take care of his hair. His eyes were steel gray, and framed by long, black lashes. He knew he was good-looking, but there was more on his mind than dating the vapid girls at his school or walking around proclaiming his looks. He knew his mom wanted more for him. He wanted more for himself.

His little brother Owen bounced into the room and turned on the video game. He turned up the volume, and it made his homework that much more puzzling. He reached over and shut the game off.

"Aidan! What the hell did you do that for? I was about to finally get into Hyrule Castle!" his little brother yelled.

"Have you done your homework?" Aidan asked him, keeping his voice calm and level.

"Who cares about homework?" Owen sneered. Owen did not care about school. All he did was play video games and whine about not having enough money. Owen was only his half brother, and Aidan suspected that the drunken bastard who had fathered Owen had left hereditary traits. Like being mean and snotty.

"When Mom is not here I am in charge Owen. Go to our room and sit on your bed until I tell you to come out," Aidan ordered his half brother. Owen flipped him off and headed for their bedroom. They could only afford a two bedroom apartment, so Aidan was sharing the second bedroom with Owen. He loved Owen, but sometimes he thought Owen was beyond saving. He sighed and went back to his homework.

Owen tossed a pillow at a mirror on their wall before sitting down. Damned older brother. Aidan always thought he was better. Owen got a sneaky look on his face before opening the drawer to Aidan's nightstand. In the drawer was a little red book with gold letters on the cover.

"Labyrinth," Owen said aloud. Aidan only kept the things he treasured most in this drawer. Owen opened the book and started to read. It was some stupid tale of a girl who had gone through this maze thing after she wished away her little brother.

"Wonder if it works on older brothers, haha," Owen said. It was something to do however, so he read the book. It was very girly, and Owen found himself wanting to gag at some points.

Aidan had become distracted by a daydream. He found himself sketching a picture of a girl. She had red hair that was streaked with dark and light strands. Her eyes were glowing orbs of light, and her lips were shaped like a light pink bow. He had sketched her before. He did not know who she was or where she was, but he knew her face like the back of his hand.

His notebook was covered with doodles of mazes, sketches of the girl, castles and fantastical creatures. All the things he saw when he closed his eyes. He had always been fascinated by puzzles. There was something comforting about trying to solve puzzles. Put the pieces together, they would only fit one way. It was the total opposite of actual life. Life was all about choices. Mazes were like life. There were so many corridors, so many paths. But in the end, there was always only one exit for someone. Death. Everyone dies.

Sometimes Aidan wished that he could do something for his mom's situation. Like, if he was not around then things would be easier for her and Owen. He may not like Owen so much, but he was still his brother, and he still loved him. He found himself secretly wishing someone would take him away.

Aidan heard something break in the bedroom he shared with Owen. He stood up and ran to the room. He felt the anger rise as he looked at the sight before him. The mirror on the wall was broken. Owen looked stunned as he stared at the mess.

"What the hell happened Owen?" Aidan half yelled at his brother.

"I was tossing my baseball around and it hit the mirror," Owen shrugged.

"Mirrors do not break from someone just tossing a ball. Why did you break the mirror?" Aidan asked his brother.

"Because I wanted to. It's a stupid mirror," Owen said, shrugging his shoulders again.

It took all Aidan had to not put Owen over his knee and spank him. He did not like violence.

"You are grounded. No more video games for a week. Clean up this mess now!" Aidan yelled. Owen sneered and grabbed a piece of glass. He lunged at Aidan and caught Aidan's arm. The glass sliced through Aidan's skin pretty deep. Aidan gasped in pain as the deep red blood dripped off his arm. Owen dropped the glass and stared at the blood now dripping onto the carpet.

"I am calling the police. They will send you to juvy over this!" Aidan yelled. He walked to the phone while applying pressure to the cut. He had barely gotten the phone off the cradle when Owen came running out of his room.

"I wish the goblins would come take you away right now!" Owen yelled. Then he stared as Aidan disappeared.


	4. Phoenix Chapter 3

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own labyrinth

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter Three

Phoenix had been sketching in her bedroom when, all of a sudden, her father appeared beside her.

"Time to go, a mortal has been wished away," her father said. Phoenix stood and was in her most fearsome outfit in a second. The black dress had a ragged hem to it. The coat she wore over it was long and had a high collar that came up to her chin. The buttons on the coat were rubies. Her boots were made of shiny black leather. Her red hair was piled on top of her head in messy curls, held in place with ruby hair pins her mother had made for her. She looked fearsome, and very sexy. Her father was garbed in all black, just as he had appeared when he had come to her mother that first time. He changed into a white barn owl. Phoenix changed into a unique raven that had red and white accented feathers. They flew out of the Underground together.

The city they approached was vast, and dotted with tall buildings. Everything was so bright and noisy. They flew towards the call, coming at last to a dingy apartment building. Jareth used magic to blow the window open, and then flew in. They changed back into their Fae forms slowly. The little boy in front of them looked scared. He should be. He was about ten or so, with blond hair and brown eyes. The apartment was small but well kept. Phoenix stood back and let her father take over.

"You're him? You're the Goblin King? Who's this girl? The Goblin Queen?" the little boy asked.

"My daughter, the Goblin Princess," Jareth said with aplomb.

"What did you do with Aidan?" the boy asked.

"Owen, forget about him. I can offer you your dreams," Jareth said, and conjured a crystal sphere with all of little Owen's dreams in it. He began to manipulate it with his hands, twirling it about. Owen was hypnotized.

"My mom would flip if I let him disappear, so you had better bring him back," Owen said.

"No one will ever know. Take the crystal. It won't hurt you. If you look at it this way it will show you your dreams. All you have ever wanted Owen," Jareth said.

Owen was transfixed.

"I hate him anyways," Owen shrugged, and reached for the crystal. The world blurred a little, and then Jareth and Phoenix were flying towards the Underground again. They changed back into their Fae forms in front of the castle and walked in.

They walked into the audience room and stopped in shock. There was usually a baby in the center of the room. Instead, they found Sarah staring, perplexed, at a fully grown mortal male. Sarah arched her eyebrow at them. The male had a look that showed confusion, and not a little shock. Jareth sighed, and Phoenix was frozen. She had seen this mortal before. The light brown hair, the grey eyes. She had seen him in her dreams before. And as he looked at her she saw his eyes widen. She quickly changed her Goblin Princess outfit into a pair of pants in a light green color, and a white tunic made of lightweight gauze. Her hair came down and was once again straight and framing her face. She now wore white sandals. He had recognition in his eyes. Why would this mortal recognize her?

"What are you staring at?" Phoenix asked him.

"I have seen you before. What's your name?" he asked her.

"Princess Phoenix. How could you have ever seen me before? You're mortal!" she exclaimed.

"I don't know. If I'm mortal then what the hell are you?" Aidan asked.

"Aidan, please do not speak to my daughter that way. I think we need explanations all around," Sarah said with a touch of humor in her voice. Jareth walked over and sat in the chair next to her. Sarah waved and a chair appeared for Aidan. Phoenix refused to sit in a chair and instead sat on an invisible stool next to her mom and dad. Jareth stared at her intently. She quickly changed her mind and conjured a comfortable chair.

"Your brother wished you away," Jareth said.

"Obviously. After he cut me open, of course," Aidan said, and showed them the fairly deep wound on his arm. Phoenix got up and walked over to him. She took his arm in her hands and concentrated. The wound glowed and then was healed. Phoenix liked the way his skin felt. It was smooth. She let go of his arm and sat back down.

"Thanks," he murmured as he stared at where the wound once was. Aidan was a little shocked that he was not at all surprised by what the girl did.

"Okay, so your little brother wished you away. Now, I can only take mortals under the age of eighteen when they have actually been wished away like that. I can only take ones that are over eighteen when they wish themselves away. How far away are you from your eighteenth birthday?" Jareth asked.

"Two months," the boy said, " Can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead," Sarah told him.

"Who are all of you and what are all of you?" Aidan blurted out.

"You owned a small red book with gold letters, correct?" Sarah asked him, he nodded, and then his eyes got a little wide, "My name used to be Sarah Williams. I am the girl the Goblin King fell in love with. I solved the Labyrinth, and defeated him. Sometime later, we were forced to marry because of a prophecy. We loved each other very much, of course. Jareth here is the Goblin King the story speaks of. We are Fae. Immortal, magical Fae. The girl you see beside us is one of our five children, not including the one here in my tummy. Your brother wished you away, and the goblins did indeed take you. Unfortunately, your brother chose his dreams over you, so now you are stuck here, forever".

Aidan wanted to cry. He was strong though, and held on. The cold man sitting next to his warm and friendly queen held no remorse on their faces. This was their job, and letting sympathy rule them would profit no one. The princess sat next to them, avoiding his gaze. Aidan became worried about his precarious position here. In the story, the Goblin King would turn the taken child into a goblin.

"What's to become of me? Am I to be turned into a goblin then?" he asked.

"I don't actually turn children into goblins Aidan. I adopt them out. But seeing as you are almost of age, I cannot adopt you out. I will see that you are given a room until we decided what to do with you. Phoenix, please show him to the room across the hall from yours. His things are already there. Make sure he all he needs," Jareth told her.

"Come on," Phoenix waved her arm, and the bewildered Aidan followed her down the hall. It was complex, and he had no idea where they were going. They finally came to a door made of dark wood. They stepped inside, and it was bare, except for his stuff piled on the floor.

"Okay, time to decorate. What color carpet do you want?" Phoenix asked.

"Wait. What?" Aidan asked in confusion.

"I have all this nice magic at my disposal and not much time. Just tell me what you want. If you do not like it we can wipe the slate clean. Great thing about magic," Phoenix told him as she pulled a crystal sphere out of the air. She began to manipulate it as her father did. He was as transfixed by it as his brother had been, until she threw it at him. He flinched as the bubble popped in his hands.

"Why have I been seeing your face every time I close my eyes?" Aidan whispered.

Phoenix stared at him. The question did not surprise her.

"I don't know. But right now, we need to decorate your room," Phoenix told him, trying to get her mind off the situation.

"Carpet? Can I have blue carpet? Like, dark blue carpet?" Aidan asked her. Phoenix waved her hand and it became a dark blue plush carpet.

"Walls?" Phoenix asked as she sat down on air.

"Um, cream colored?" Aidan asked. She waved her hand and it was done.

"Bed?" Phoenix asked and then snapped her fingers. A large bed made of dark wood showed up. It had four posts that ended in leaf shaped finials. Then she snapped again and a nightstand appeared that matched the bed. Again she snapped, and a wardobe and a chest of drawers appeared. She waved her hand and a few potted plants appeared, along with some paintings. His things flew into the chest of drawers and the wardrobe. She looked at the bed and there were bedcovers. There were cream-colored silk sheets, fluffy pillows, and a beautifully made dark blue brocade comforter with golden accents. Phoenix was quite amazed at her decorating acumen. She turned to look at Aidan, who had silent tears coursing their way down his cheeks.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Phoenix asked, and grabbed a tissue out of the air. She handed it to him. She had never seen a male cry that was not a baby.

"My mom's apartment is smaller than this room alone," Aidan said sadly.

"Well, she doesn't even remember you now, so let's move onto the bathroom," Phoenix said, and she grabbed his arm. Aidan did not move, however.

"What do you mean, she does not remember me?" Aidan asked.

"When Owen took the crystal everyone Aboveground forgot you ever existed. There is no Aidan Bishop now," Phoenix said.

"Thank god," Aidan said. He had wished that his mother would never have to worry about him ever again. He had gotten his wish. For that, he was happy. He followed Phoenix to the bathroom. It was all blank white tiles, and blank white walls.

"Can we change the floor to sandstone?" he asked. Phoenix did it," And can we change the walls to the same shade as the bedroom?"

A couple of minutes later the room was decorated. Phoenix made some white towels appear on the counter near the tub, and made sure there were toiletries stocked in the bathroom.

"Are you hungry?" Phoenix asked the newcomer.

"Yes," he told her truthfully.

"Let's go eat dinner with the rest of the family," she told him. She snapped and Aidan was dressed in a navy blue suit. The light blue shirt looked good on him, and the blue tie matched the suit perfectly. His feet were clad in nice black dress shoes.

"How did you know what I would wear?" Aidan asked her.

"Mom. I shared a lot of her memories with her when I was in the womb, and she had some memories of what mortals wear"

Aidan nodded, pretending to understand.

Phoenix almost blushed at how good Aidan looked in the outfit she had conjured. She waved her hand and she was wearing a black dress made of silk. It was off the shoulder and had a full skirt. It stopped at her knees, and she wore little black heels with it. A diamond necklace glistened at her throat, and diamond earrings shone at her ears. Her hair was curled delicately. He opened the door for her, and they walked down the hall. Dinner was waiting.


	5. Phoenix Chapter 4

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own labyrinth. Also, I wanted to remind some people of the ages of the characters based on APS. Aaron was about 18 months when he was brought to the Underground. So this makes him about 19.5 years now. Toby was 11 when he came down, so now he is 29. And the triplets, of course, are 18. Now shoo, go back to reading.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 4

While they were walking Aidan was trying to slowly get used to his surroundings. The castle was a puzzle. All he had to do was figure out how all the pieces went together, and he would be able to move around quite easily. He had a question though. The girl he had been seeing every time he closed his eyes had the weirdest, yet most wonderful eyes he had ever seen.

"Your Highness, how did you get eyes like that?" he asked her.

"Phoenix is fine. My mother has a power that makes her a Lady of the Flame. She can draw upon her inner flame and make it manifest itself as, basically, her becoming a flame herself. When she had my brothers and I in the womb she used the power, and it changed me. I am a Lady of the Flame also," she said to him. She held her hand up, and it became a living flame. She quickly extinguished it though as they approached the dining room. Phoenix could wield the power a lot easier than any other Lady, and she did not even have to think about it anymore.

There were so many people there. The king and queen were there. There was a male, in his late twenties, talking with a man in his early twenties with red hair. There were two boys of about his age. One had dark hair with pale streaks, and the other had hair like the kings with black streaks. They all turned and looked at him. He suddenly wanted to be invisible.

"This is Aidan Bishop. His little brother wished him away. He is too old to be adopted, so he is staying here until we figure out what to do with him," Jareth told everyone assembled. Sarah decided to make introductions.

"I am sure you will not remember all of this. To my right is my brother, Prince Toby, the boy who was taken in the story. To my left is our adopted son, Aaron, who serves as a knight and a diplomat for our kingdom. The two boys are Phoenix's other thirds. They were born triplets. The quiet one with the dark hair is Prince Damien. The cheerful one with the light hair is Eamon, the crown prince and heir," Sarah completed the introductions. Aidan felt like he was going to faint. He sat down instead. Phoenix sat down between the triplets, and Aidan found himself sitting next to Prince Toby. He stared at Toby like he had two heads.

Toby leaned over and whispered to him.

"I know, it's weird. But my mom died, and Sarah was the only one I wanted to stay with. So she brought me here. It took me a long time to get used to it. But I love it here. It is more home than Aboveground ever was. The wine should help dull the shock a little," Toby said as he poured a rich, red wine into a crystal goblet. Everyone talked incessantly through the meal. Aidan refilled the wine glass several times until he felt woozy. He was about to lay his head down on the elegant table when Toby put his hand on Aidan's shoulder. A second later they were in Aidan's room, thanks to Toby's timely transport. Aidan stumbled over to the bed. Toby sighed and started to pull off Aidan's shoes.

"Why did she have to be real?" Aidan asked, with a little drunken slurring.

"Who?" Toby asked.

"Phoenix. I have been seeing her face every time I close my eyes for years," Aidan sighed.

Toby was a bit startled by that comment.

"Funny thing is, I think she has seen me before too," Aidan muttered sleepily. Toby looked puzzled as he closed the door.

Toby went to find Phoenix. She was in her room. He knocked before entering. His young niece was brushing her hair. He took a seat in her sitting area and waited for her. She came over and flopped in the chair across from him.

"What's going on, Uncle Toby?" she asked him.

"Our new guest has been dreaming of you for years. He said he has been seeing your face for years now, every time he closes his eyes. Do you know what is going on?" Toby asked her.

"Stupid mortal," Phoenix growled.

"Phoenix, you know I hate that. Eighteen years ago I was still mortal, and so was your mother," Toby reminded her.

"I have no clue how he has been seeing me, just as I have no idea why I have been seeing him. Look!" Phoenix said as she showed him her sketchbook. Inside were various pictures, but all the sketches of males were doppelgangers for the young Aidan.

"Did you tell him you have seen him before?"

"No. I do not know why. I just don't think I am ready to deal with that right now," Phoenix sighed.

Toby thought he knew what was going on, but he needed to talk to Sarah. He gave his niece a kiss on her upturned nose and left her rooms.

Toby knocked on Sarah's study door. Sarah had needed her own space to study and work. Sarah opened the door and let him in.

"Sarah, those two have been dreaming of one another for years," Toby told her.

"Really?" Sarah asked curiously, even though her mother's intuition had already figured out that Aidan and her daughter already knew each other, even if it was from the plane of dreaming.

"When I was placing the drunk Aidan in his bed he told me that he had been seeing Phoenix's face whenever he closed his eyes for years. I went to Phoenix's room and she showed me her sketchbook. All the faces in that sketchbook look like Aidan's. What the hell is going on?" he asked.

"They are both strong dreamers. Phoenix dreamt of a man that would love her for who she was, and love the fire she had inside of her. Someone that would dream with her. Someone who understood she wanted more than balls and dresses. Aidan had dreamt of a woman who was intelligent, and thoughtful. Someone who had passion for something other than clothing and boys. Jareth and I were drawn together by both being strong dreamers. We shared a dream, yet did not know it. The strongest dreamers are always drawn together," Sarah told her brother.

"Are you saying that they are meant to be together then? Not that I am totally surprised. Nothing is what it seems," Toby commented.

"There is no one else for these two. They will only ever love each other. Once they realize it, it will be impossible to part them. We have to let it be. I am going to let Jareth know tonight. We will have to find him work as a stablehand or something. Keep his mind off of things," Sarah said.

"If she marries him, what will he be?" Toby asked.

"By the laws, he would become a Prince. Like you, he will be unable to lay a claim to the throne, but he will become royal, and let's not forget that it will not take long for him to become Fae, as you and Aaron are Fae " Sarah said.

Toby gave her a hug and took his leave.


	6. Phoenix Chapter 5

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own labyrinth. I also would like to say that I wrote a J/S erotic fanfiction that is too explicit for this website. But if you are over 18 and would like to read it I will send it to you. 4 chapters. My email address is in my profile.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 5

Sarah walked into the rooms she shared with her husband and saw that he had fallen asleep while reading in bed. Sarah looked and saw the book was about some boring Troll War. No wonder it had put him to sleep. She climbed into the bed and took the book out of his hands. She placed her legs on either side of his hips, straddling him. Then she leaned down and placed a loving kiss on his lips. When he did not wake up Sarah resorted to pinching his side. That woke him up with a start, and he very nearly toppled his very pregnant wife to the ground. He held onto her though, and sat up in bed.

"What the heck was that for Sarah?" Jareth asked her. Sarah had taken to laughing hysterically over the manner. Jareth just stared at her until she had gotten her laughter under control. She climbed off of his lap and stretched out on her side on the bed.

"Make him a stableboy," Sarah said, without preamble. Jareth knew what his wife was talking about.

"Why?" he asked, out of mere curiousity.

"I think it would be a good job for him, and would allow him to see Phoenix every day," Sarah told him. Jareth scowled. He had known where Sarah was going with this.

"Just because I fell in love with a mortal girl does mean that all of our children are meant to be with wayward mortals," Jareth pointed out.

"Phoenix is though," Sarah told him.

"How do you know?" Jareth asked, getting up to pace the room.

"You and I had the same dream, did we not? To marry for love, and love alone? To marry someone that would be our equal? We were dreamers who shared the same dream. Phoenix and Aidan are the same. They are meant to be together. If you were to go look in Phoenix's room and see all her drawings, you would realize she has been sketching Aidan's face for years. And if you went to Aidan's room and looked at all his sketch pads you would not only see old and new sketches of our daughter, you would see sketches of puzzles, mazes, and the Labyrinth. This boy was meant to come here. He was meant for her. We would do best not to stand in their way. Everyone would be doing their best if they did not stand in the way," Sarah explained.

"I had expected our children to marry into other royal families. Why me?" Jareth asked.

Sarah felt herself get indignant and she stood up, her round belly standing out.

"Why _you_? This is not about you! This is about our children. We agreed we would let them marry for love! Royal families or not!" Sarah shouted at him. Jareth smiled at her aggravation. He had gotten to her. He loved getting her riled. He walked towards her and swept her up in his arms. He carried her back to the bed. Sarah looked defeated. Jareth looked in her eyes.

"Tomorrow I will tell him to report to the stables. He can keep his current room. I will pay him a wage so he can spend it as he wishes. Satisfied?" he asked his wife. She looked at him with heavy lidded eyes.

"Not yet," Sarah said as she brought his mouth down to hers.

There was a knock on Aidan's door the next morning. Aidan opened his eyes and then regretted it. He got up, and stumbled out of the bed to answer the door. There was a very short, green goblin there.

"My name is Core, young master. His Majesty wishes you to be in the audience room in thirty minutes. He also wishes you to drink this," the goblin handed Aidan a crystal glass filled with a clear liquid, and then left.

Aidan stared at the glass. The liquid was clear, and thick.

"More magic," Aidan said. He downed the liquid anyways. It was sickeningly sweet, and almost made him gag. But when he had drank every last drop he had to admit he felt a million times better. He went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He used the various toiletries that had been provided for him, and he shaved in a rush. Luckily he did not nick himself. With a towel wrapped around his waist he went to the chest of drawers. He pulled out a pair of khakis and a white polo shirt. He tucked the polo shirt in and wrapped a brown belt around his waist. He put on some brown loafers and combed his hair. He left it down and headed out the door.

Aidan did not remember how to get to the audience chamber, but he soon figured it out. When he did get there, both the Goblin King and Queen were there. He was sure he was supposed to bow, so he did. Sarah noted that it needed work, but he would be quite capable. Her daughter had good taste.

"Have you had breakfast, Aidan?" Sarah asked him.

"No, Your Majesty," Aidan told her. Sarah shot a look at Jareth.

"Jareth, I am going to show Aidan the dining room and feed him. The poor thing needs to eat," Sarah told her husband. She descended from the platform and took Aidan's left arm. She led him out the audience chamber and down a hallway. They found themselves in the same dining room as last night. Sarah sat down and motioned for him to sit next to her. As soon as she sat a horde of maids came in with food and drinks. Sarah made herself a cup of coffee.

"Would you like a cup of coffee Aidan?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, please Your Majesty," Aidan told her.

"Sarah. When we are not in public it is Sarah. Eighteen years ago, give or take, I was a mortal like you, and a playwright to boot. I still like to be just Sarah, when no one is really looking. Do you take it black?" Sarah asked him.

"Yes, black," Aidan told her. He reached for a lovely looking cinnamon roll and placed it on the china before him. Sarah set the coffee cup next to him and sipped from her own cup. She sighed in contentment.

"Coffee is the one thing I never left behind in the Aboveground. I loved coffee then, and still do now," Sarah smiled, " I brought you in here to tell you a few things. One, we have decided you will work in the stables. I bet you will like the horses. You will work there during the mornings, then return here for lunch unless you wish otherwise. Then you will go back to the stables and work there until the late afternoon. You will come back here, bathe, change, and have dinner with us. You will be paid for your work, although your room is free of charge. So is your food and clothing. After all, any of us can conjure up almost anything you would like at any time. But it still feels good to buy things for yourself sometimes. You will attend any and all state functions with us. When you do so we will call you Lord Aidan. No one expects you to do everything perfectly at first. And there are other things. In about a month's time we will begin your magic lessons," Sarah told him.

"Magic? What magic?" Aidan asked her as he sipped his coffee.

"Aaron and Toby were both born mortal, but are now Fae. Once you spend enough time here, you start to turn Fae. You will find that you will gain magic starting in about three months or so. And then, the immortality will follow eventually," Sarah explained.

They ate in companionable silence for a while.

"Thank you, Yo- Sarah. It is very kind of you to take me in. I promise I will work very hard," Aidan said as he stood.

"Wait," Sarah said, "Tomorrow you start. I actually thought you might want to tour the Labyrinth today. If you want, I have arranged for Aaron to take you on a tour. He is waiting for you in the courtyard," Sarah told him. Aidan smiled and bowed before walking out the door.


	7. Phoenix Chapter 6

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. I never get anything I want/me stamps foot (IRC joke). Also, if anyone can guess the three anime references and what anime they come from they will get a cookie! And good news, I finished the first part of this story today and I am going to start on the second part, Damien's part, tonight. Happy day.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 6

Aidan walked out the door and into the elegant courtyard. Aaron was waiting patiently. He was tall, and had red hair. His eyes were just as blue as when Sarah had brought him here. Sarah was the only mother he had ever known. Sarah had told him the circumstances surrounding him coming here to the Underground when he was still a child, but also when she felt he was old enough to understand what she was telling him meant. The Underground was the only home he had ever known. Sarah had washed away his memories of his mortal home when she had brought him here.

But this mortal was not as fortunate as Aaron. Aaron did not feel pity for him, rather he just felt for him in general. To be wished away by a little brother must hurt. And to leave his mother without even getting to say goodbye must feel just as bad. Aaron shook hands with Aidan in the mortal tradition, even though it felt uncomfortable to do that instead of bowing.

"Mom wants me to show you around. This will probably take most of the day. The Labyrinth is extensive, and then there are the gardens and the such. So much to see, so little time," and with that Aaron waved his hand, and they were at the gates of the Labyrinth. Aidan shook his head like he has cobwebs in it.

"Whoa," he said.

"You will get used to it," Aaron said cheerfully. Then he sighed as they passed a small fountain along the front wall.

"There used to be a dwarf we would catch pissing in here constantly. He was my mother's best friend. But he died some time ago," Aaron sighed. He then held up his hand at the gates. They swung open and admitted them.

"In the book she had to say the right thing to get the gates open," Aidan mused.

"We can command it because we are part of it. All of the residents of the Goblin Kingdom are linked to the Labyrinth. It still does mostly what it pleases itself to do, but otherwise we can open mostly anything"

They walked around the Labyrinth until they reached the hedge maze. There was polite chit chat about such things as the weather and the creatures in the Labyrinth, but mostly they strolled in silence.

"Are you getting hungry?" Aaron asked his companion. Aidan nodded thoughtfully. Aaron waved his hand and there was lunch before them. The sandwiches Aaron provided were filling. Aidan had finished with his sandwich and was leaning back against a rock when he spoke.

"Will we see the stables before we go back to the castle?" Aidan asked.

"Yeah. We had better get back to our walk," Aaron said, and made lunch disappear. As they started to walk again, Aaron spoke up again, "I figure now would be as good a time as any to tell you the history of our unique little family. You have read the book, right?"

"Yeah, that's kind of what got me wished away," Aidan muttered.

"Well the book speaks the truth. Sarah Williams wished one Toby Williams away one night, and met the Goblin King. She ran the Labyrinth to save her brother, and defeated the king. But when she beat him, it set into motion the words of a prophecy…," Aaron told Aidan all of the rest. About their powers, about the battles of eighteen years ago, and about what they were up to now. Aidan, helpless to do little else, absorbed every detail. Anything involving Princess Phoenix piqued his interest even more.

"So, all the kids are unmarried, even you and Toby," Aidan surmised.

"Well, yeah. But we have the feeling that Toby will not be unmarried for long. He's damned close, even if he is not sharing his news with the rest of us. We both serve as emissaries and diplomats to the other kingdoms. When he was eleven, not long after coming to the Underground, he developed a crush on Princess Cara, from the Dragonlands directly south of us. She is 3 years older than he is. But I do not think he ever got over his crush. My mom has a saying she is very fond of. 'Fate has a way of rewarding its servants'. Anyways, Toby has been finding any excuse to go to the Dragonlands for about two years now. We all know what's going on, but he has decided not to tell us yet. But, King Danol, Queen Carys, and Princess Cara are all coming here for a masquerade ball in a month. I suspect Toby will ask Cara to marry him at the ball, in front of everyone. Cara will be Queen when her parents pass away, and that would make Toby the Prince Consort by their laws. He is already a Prince here, but not in line for the throne," Aaron explained. He had seen the relief in Aidan's eyes when he had said that they were all unattached. Mom had been right, this mortal was in love with his little sister. It was plain as day on his face.

They finally ended up at the stables sometime in the middle of the afternoon. Everyone had their own horse here. Sarah's horse was a white mare named Clover. Jareth's was a large black stallion named Drago. Phoenix's horse was a smaller black stallion named Daemon. Eamon had a white stallion named Youkai. Damien had a black stallion named Dante. Aaron had a brown gelding named Il-Marin. Toby's brown gelding was named Mandos. Tanwen had a brown mare named Apple. There were other horses out in the pasture. In the very last stall there was a tan stallion with a blonde mane.

"This one is yours. His name is Hanyou," Aidan just looked at Aaron in amazement. Aaron produced a couple of sugar cubes for Aidan to feed to Hanyou. Aidan was just learning to saddle him when Phoenix came around the corner, dressed in her riding habit. She stopped short when she saw Aidan and Aaron, but then continued onto the stall that held Daemon.

"Phoenix, are you going out right now?" Aaron asked her. Phoenix groaned inwardly.

"Yeah. I suppose you want me to teach the mortal to ride?" Phoenix asked.

"Phoenix, you can be a rude bitch sometimes," Aaron snapped.

"Ah, fuck off Aaron. I'm only kidding," Phoenix conjured a crystal and threw it straight at Aidan's head. He did not have time to duck, but luckily it just popped on him. And when it did he was wearing brown boots, brown breeches, and an off-white linen tunic. He felt a little embarrassed with the pants being so tight, but if everyone dressed this way most of them probably did not even notice.

"Well, when in Rome," Aidan stated. Aaron helped him with all the straps and buckles before letting Aidan mount the stallion. Luckily, the horse was trained and did not spook when he got up there. Phoenix looked so small on the large stallion, but they seemed to be fine with the arrangement. She used her reigns to urge her stallion to turn around. Aidan simply did not know how to make his horse go. After a minute, Phoenix dismounted with a sigh, and made her way over to Aidan.

"Well, if you two will excuse me, I have a trip to plan," Aaron made his excuses, leaving the two of them alone while he walked back to the castle.

"Aidan, it's very simple really…," and Phoenix explained how to make the horse walk, trot, and cantor. Luckily, he was a fast learner. It was very late in the afternoon when they finally started out. They would not be able to go very far. They headed to the north, just walking the horses. They eventually came to the point where they would need to start thinking about heading back. Most of the ride had been spent in silence. Phoenix dismounted, and Aidan followed her lead. She conjured a crystal that became a trough of water. They were at the edge of a grove of tall, swaying trees.

Being alone with a male that was not related to her was unusual for Phoenix. She wanted to try to ignore Aidan, but she did have a question for him that she needed answered.

"How have you invaded my dreams?" she asked bluntly. She had struggled with this question. She didn't want him to know that she had dreamt of him, but she needed answers.

"How did you invade mine?" he countered.

"I just do not get how, if we have never met each other, how you know what I look like, and I know what you look like!" Phoenix said aggravatingly.

"Yeah," Aidan started walking towards Phoenix. He stopped, mere inches away from her, and grasped a lock of hair with his fingers. It was soft, "You know, I have drawn the shape of your face over and over. I have drawn your hair more times than I can count, and never did I think it would be this soft"

Phoenix wanted to lean into his hand, feel it on her cheek. She closed her bright eyes and let him feel her hair. He had drawn her right in, and she was not even fighting it. She felt him brush his thumb down her jawline. She opened her eyes to look into his gray ones and then noticed it was going to be dark soon. She stepped away from him abruptly.

"Stupid mortal. We have to get back," Phoenix said without malice and walked back to get her horse. She mounted easily.

"Stupid wench," Aidan said as he mounted Hanyou.

"What?" Phoenix almost yelled at him.

"You continue to call me stupid mortal and I will feel obligated to call you stupid wench. Fair is fair," Aidan said as he urged Hanyou into a cantor. He kept his seat very well for a beginner. Phoenix growled and went after him. How dare he call her, a princess, a stupid wench? She could feel the fire rising inside her, the familiar feeling that accompanied being pissed off.

It was dark when they got back, and it was almost dinner time when they finally got the horses unsaddled and brushed down. Phoenix had taken to not talking to Aidan. Stupid wench! Grr. He could not talk to a princess like that! She stormed up to the castle.

Aidan finally found his way back to and inside the castle. He needed to bathe before dinner, but did not know if he would have time. He decided he would ask if he could dine in his room. So he went to the kitchen and found Queen Sarah talking to one of the cooks. She saw him and smiled. He gave a short bow that still needed work.

"Your Majesty, can I eat in my room tonight? I am still all dirty from riding, and my muscles ache a little. Plus, Princess Phoenix is not very happy with me right now," Aidan pointed out. Sarah laughed.

"Why is my daughter upset with you?" she asked.

"I kind of called her a stupid wench," Aidan said sheepishly, which made Sarah laugh harder. The cooks looked alarmed to see their queen laughing so.

"She called you a stupid mortal didn't she?" Sarah gasped as she held her pregnant stomach. He nodded.

"Don't worry Aidan, she will come around. I will have dinner sent up to your room. Remember, you start work in the morning. Get plenty of rest," Sarah walked past him and then she was gone. Aidan made his way to his room.

Phoenix cursed the fact that everyone else was seated when she came to dinner. Not only that, they all looked like they were holding something in. Her father looked more than slightly amused, and her mother's eyes were slightly red.

"What is going on?" Phoenix asked suspiciously.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Everyone erupted in an incredible amount of laughter. Phoenix's eyes glowed brighter as she felt herself getting mad.

"What?" Phoenix yelled at them.

"Stupid wench!" was all Eamon could gasp out. Jareth had a big smile on his face, and was the only one not laughing. Phoenix felt herself turn red.

"He told you what he said to me? And you guys think it is funny?" Phoenix could not believe what she was hearing.

"I'm sorry princess, but you got what was coming to you," Jareth said as he twirled the stem of his wine glass, "You need to learn that mortals are not stupid. Your mother was once mortal, remember that"

Phoenix spent the rest of dinner in silence, and pushed most of her food around on her plate. She just was not hungry. She knew that her mom had been mortal once. Same thing with Toby and Aaron. She wasn't going to apologize though. She excused herself from the table before dessert, and went to her room.

Aidan took off the clothing Phoenix had provided him and tossed them into a basket in the corner. The tub was filled with very hot water, with soothing sandalwood oil poured in it. He took his hair out of its rough ponytail and eased his aching body into the tub. He ached from head to toe. He had never been riding before. It was probably easy for Phoenix, but not for him. He would be stiff tomorrow for sure. A jog should take all that stiffness out. He leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the water soak up all the hurt. It was a long time before he came out.

He stepped out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. There was a tray full of food on the small table in the corner. His stomach rumbled angrily. He was just about to sit down to eat when there was a knock at his door. He walked to it, thinking it would be a maid. When he opened it he was shocked to see Phoenix standing there. Her eyes dropped immediately to his towel, and then wandered over his bare chest. She finally looked him in the eyes.

"Truce?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"I won't call you stupid mortal, you do not call me stupid wench. My whole family is in hysterics about it," Phoenix muttered.

"Truce", Aidan said and held out his hand. She looked at it weirdly, "Mortals shake hands when they agree on something". She took his hand and shook it awkwardly.

"Put on some clothes, Aidan," Phoenix said softly as she walked down the hall. Aidan laughed as he closed the door. Not even ten seconds later there was another knock on his door. He opened the door and saw Eamon standing there.

"Your Highness," Aidan bowed shortly.

"Eamon. Just Eamon. Unless we are in public. Just like with everyone here, except Dad. Dad has been Your Majesty so long that it is weird for him. Listen, do you know how to play poker?" Eamon asked, looking around conspiratorially.

"Yeah. Why?" Aidan asked.

"Tomorrow night after dinner we want to play. Mom taught us how to play it when we were kids. We only play for fun, but it has been a while. No girls, just us guys. We drink way too much for their sensibilities. We also seem to end up singing a lot. It will be fun, don't make me command you," Eamon laughed. So did Aidan.

"Sure thing," Aidan agreed. Eamon whistled as he headed down the hallway.

What a peculiar family. Not that he didn't like them. He thought they were all wonderful and a little whacky. And they all loved each other very much. They were being very generous, but he thought they all knew something he didn't. They all looked sideways at him with slight grins on their faces.

Aidan finally sat down to dinner. He tried not to think about her. He tried. But he could not shake the thought of her. And as he slept that night he had a dream of her. They were in that grove and when he brushed his thumb across her jawline he leaned down and kissed her. And she returned the kiss with all her heart.

Across the hall Phoenix woke up with a start. Her lips felt swollen, as if she had just been kissed. But that had been a dream, hadn't it?

Aidan wondered the same thing as he put his head in his hands.


	8. Phoenix Chapter 7

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. Or the Beatles song mentioned beneath. Or The Beatles for that matter.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 7

Phoenix went out to the stables after spending the morning helping her mother decide on the decorations for the masquerade ball. They were making it a theme of animals. Everyone had to wear an animal mask. She was wearing the mask of a peahen. It was her mother's idea. Sarah would be wearing the mask of a female osprey. Jareth would be wearing the mask of a male osprey. Sarah's dress was snow white. It was off the shoulder, and has long flowing sleeves. The empire waist made room for her growing stomach. The gown was dotted with feathers. She was having Jareth make her a necklace made from large, black stones that would shine in the candlelight.

Phoenix's dress was something her mother designed. The gown was slender, clinging to her form, and made out of silver toned velvet. The bottom flared out just enough so that Phoenix would be able to dance comfortably. The neckline was a deep v, skimming the insides of her breasts, and ending right below her breastbone. The collar came up high, and caressed the sides of her neck. It flared out slightly at the top. The sleeves were slightly gathered to a point where they met the bodice, and were long, coming to a point on top of her hands. The neckline was trimmed with clear, shimmering stones. The collar was trimmed with sapphire blue feathers. The gown had a short train that could be held up with a small loop underneath the skirt. Phoenix thought her mother had outdone herself this time. The mask of the peahen was made from silver and white feathers, with touches of sapphire at the edges. Phoenix would also wear her tiara. It was made of silver. It was intricately fashioned, and shone with a single onyx set into the center. The rest of the tiara was sprinkled with rubies. She only wore it when the occasion warranted it.

"So, is Uncle Toby asking Cara to marry him, or has she already agreed and they are just going to announce it?" Phoenix asked her beautiful mother. Sarah paused in the act of writing something down for the decorator.

"He has not asked her. She knows he is going to, but he has not asked yet. He wants to ask her in front of everyone," Sarah told her daughter quietly, "Did you apologize to Aidan?"

"I offered him a truce," Phoenix said carefully. Sarah laughed. She was so like her father, always bargaining.

"I think I can handle it from here, dear. Go take Daemon out," Sarah urged her daughter. Phoenix needed no prompting to take her horse out for a ride. She dressed herself in her riding habit with a snap of her fingers, and walked out to the stables.

Aidan was brushing Daemon's mane when she came down the path to the stables. Daemon looked very happy to be brushed, and Aidan was talking to her horse in a very soft and low tone. Phoenix could not hear what he was saying to her horse. Aidan was wearing clothing identical to what she had put him in last night. He had slender, but strong legs, and his hair was shiny and thick. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"You want him saddled?" Aidan asked her as he backed away from her horse.

"Yeah, I'm going to take him out for a very long ride. Poor thing hasn't gotten a good amount of exercise since you came here," Phoenix gave a fake pout as she stroked the horse's side. Aidan found his attention drawn to her lower lip, and he wanted to suck on it, kiss it. He shook his head and fetched her saddle. He was still getting the hang of it, but Phoenix helped him out. She launched herself onto Daemon and rode him off the castle grounds.

Aidan had been working hard all day. It was late in the afternoon when Sarah came out to see him.

"Queen Sarah, would you like me to saddle Clover?" Aidan asked her.

"No, no. I do not like to ride very much when I am this pregnant. Ophelia doesn't like it either," Sarah said as she patted her stomach.

"That's a pretty name," Aidan commented. Sarah nodded.

"Could you let her out into the pasture for a while though? She does need the exercise, don't you girl?" Sarah purred while petting the horse's head.

"Thank you for Hanyou," Aidan said to her, and Sarah smiled brightly.

"You're welcome. Listen, I have something I wanted to talk to you about. We are having a masquerade ball in about a month," Aidan nodded, "and it has an animal theme. I was wondering if you would like to go as a peacock. I have the mask made already, and I have designed the costume, so it would be no hassle for you"

"Thank you, Queen Sarah," Aidan told her.

"Sarah. Just Sarah. As with everyone else in this family, we all use familiar names when we are alone. But in public, you will always be required to call us by our titles. Speaking of which, you need court lessons. How about tomorrow afternoon? You can take a break from the horses and come see Jareth and I in his study. We need to teach you some things. And we will have to get Phoenix to help you learn how to dance. So many things to do, so little time," Sarah said.

"How you manage it I will never know," Aidan said humorously. Sarah turned to leave. Then she stopped.

"Eamon has a terrible tell. When he has a good hand he always shifts his feet a little. And Damien scratches his nose when he is bluffing. A bunch of amateurs they are," Sarah commented, reminding Aidan of tonight's poker game.

Aidan showed up at dinner wearing a black suit, since everyone was required to dress for dinner. Back in the Aboveground, he would be wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but here they all dressed at least semi-formally for dinner. There was talk of the decorations for the masquerade, and also talk of the Queen of the Trees. Her name was Xen. She had been found locked in the dungeon when Sarah and Jareth had ordered their goblins to scour the kingdom for any prisoners or survivors shortly after the birth of the triplets. She had been imprisoned there by the former queen Xandra, when she had been caught protesting the war against Sarah. She was also the highest ranking dryad in the kingdom. Jareth told Damien he would like him to go to the Tree kingdom shortly after the masquerade to help Xen set up her court and also help with the continued reorganization of her kingdom. There was pressure on her to produce an heir, and the tiny queen had no idea what to do about it. Damien just nodded, deep in thought. The middle of the three never said anything unless it was really important.

Shortly after dessert and coffee, Eamon, Damien, and Toby led Aidan to an average sized room whose entrance was hidden by a statue of an ugly goblin.

"This room is not used for anything, so we started using it for poker," Toby said quietly. Damien waved his hand and a round table, big enough for four people, showed up. Toby blinked and there were cards and betting chips on the table. Eamon gave Aidan a wink and made a cart full of liquor appear.

"Eamon, will we really be drinking that much?" Toby asked.

"It's Aidan's first poker game!" Eamon protested innocently. The oldest triplet was like a breath of fresh air. He was the light to his brother's dark. Everyone liked Eamon. He had an infectious smile and a sly twinkle to his emerald green eyes.

Damien rolled his eyes and sat down. Eamon went to the cart and started mixing different colored liquids. If poofed at one point and let off green smoke. Aidan looked at the drink with no small amount of dismay.

"You wouldn't try to kill me, right Eamon?" Aidan asked. Eamon let out a loud laugh.

"No, as long as you don't break Phoenix's heart. Then I would demolish you," Eamon said seriously. Then he gave Aidan a big smile and laughed. He handed the drink to Aidan. The rest of them got the same drink.

"To being Fae, which makes it to where we have to drink a lot of this stuff to get very drunk," Eamon said as he slammed down the glass of green drink, forgetting that there was one non-Fae sitting at their table. Aidan downed his and was surprised it tasted like honey and vanilla going down. Golden and sweet. Eamon poured them each another, and Damien started dealing the cards.

"Five card stud, joker's wild," Damien said as he looked at his cards.

They began to play, not being very serious, and enjoying the conversation. After his third drink, Aidan started to feel a little woozy.

"What's the name of this stuff, Eamon?" Aidan asked, his speech a little slurred.

"I have never given it a name. It's good though, huh?" Eamon told him. He watched as Aidan got up and walked to the cart, where a pitcher of the drink stood. Aidan poured himself another drink. He slammed it and had another. Only then did he sit down, with his eyes glazed over. Toby started to chuckle.

"Eamon, he's not Fae! He is more than likely extremely drunk!" Toby laughed. They showed no mercy and took Aidan for all he had, then they drank as much of the concoction that they could stand. Or not stand, by the way they started to stagger around the castle, singing a song Aidan had taught them a song by someone he called 'The Beatles'. They staggered through the castle halls singing:

_"Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)_

_Twist and shout. (twist and shout)_

_C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)_

_Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)_

_Well, work it on out, honey. (work it on out)_

_You know you look so good. (look so good)_

_You know you got me goin', now, (got me goin')_

_Just like I knew you would. (like I knew you would)_

_Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)_

_Twist and shout. (twist and shout)_

_C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)_

_Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)_

_You know you twist your little girl, (twist, little girl)_

_You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)_

_Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)_

_And let me know that you're mine. (let me know you're mine)_

_Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)_

_Twist and shout. (twist and shout)_

_C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)_

_Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)_

_You know you twist your little girl, (twist, little girl)_

_You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)_

_Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)_

_And let me know that you're mine. (let me know you're mine)_

_Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)_

_Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)_

_Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)"_

They sang it over and over, staggering through the castle. Well, all of them but Damien. Damien just staggered with them.

"Damien does not sing," he muttered as he followed his fellow inebriates. Doors opened as they passed them. Servants looked out of their doors as they stumbled by, and giggled behind their hands. Finally they reached the wing where all their rooms were.

Jareth opened his door with a scowl, but then motioned for his wife to join him. Sarahwore a thick robe over her nightgown. She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"What have you been drinking?" Jareth asked calmly. They all stopped and swayed in place before Eamon actually fell down. They all laughed uproariously.

"Just this drink I made up, I do not know what to call it though," Eamon said as he used the wall to get up, "I have not been this drunk in forever! Or ever!"

"Told you that you should not have finished mine! That's why you are more drunker than me!" Toby yelled. Another door opened and out stepped Phoenix, wearing a black nightgown with a robe over it. Her scowl eerily matched the one Jareth had been wearing only moments before.

"There she is! There's my little sister!" Eamon yelled and stumbled towards her. He looped his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek before pointing haphazardly at Aidan, "See that guy? That guy has been talking about you all night, but don't you worry, I told him I would kill him if he hurt you"

"Hey, you brought it up first!" Aidan yelled, and stumbled after Eamon. He stopped in front of Phoenix and swayed on his feet. Her face was just the littlest bit blurry, but so pretty anyways. He started to feel like he was going to pass out, so he said the only thing that came to his drunken mind: "You're so beautiful"

Phoenix watched as Aidan fell, face-first, into the floor. She didn't even have time to consider what he had said to her because just then Eamon let go of her and sank to the floor, dead asleep. Damien and Toby were laughing their heads off.

"Jareth, help Eamon to bed. I will get Damien and Toby to their rooms. Phoenix, help Aidan to his room, since it is right here," Sarah ordered. As always they obeyed her. Phoenix looked at Aidan in amusement. It was hard to be mad at him. He had called her beautiful. Her brothers should have known he would not be able to drink too much. She used her magic to levitate him off the ground, and floated him to his bed. She looked at him intently, and he was out of his clothes, and into black pajama bottoms. She used magic to make him sit up, and then she grabbed a brush out of thin air. She brushed his hair, noting how soft it was. She felt like she could look at him like this, really look at him. No one was watching her now. Every detail of his face was as she had imagined it. The long, black lashes on his eyes, the shape of his sensuous mouth, the broken nose. He really was beautiful. His chest was bare, but there was the littlest bit of hair on it, making her want to stroke it. His nipples were brown and flat. His pectorals were defined. His belly was taut, with nicely toned abdominal muscles. The pajama pants had ridden down so that they were snug on his hips, and she could see the defining lines of his pelvic bone as it went down and disappeared beneath the waistband. Could a man like Aidan love her? Most men feared the fire within her. She made herself look away. She covered him up and blew out all the candles.

Sarah sat in her room with her husband, still laughing about the spectacle. She called in a crystal and willed it to see her daughter. Her daughter was sitting on Aidan's bed, looking at him intently as he slept. Sarah saw her daughter reach out to his face, and saw her almost touch his lips, and then almost touch his chest. She was so obstinate. Sarah was sure that her matchmaking would pay off eventually. After all, they were meant to be together. As Phoenix stood and blew out the candles, Sarah dismissed the crystal.

"Jareth dear? Have you ever been that drunk?" Sarah asked.

"My dear, could you ever see me so drunk?" Jareth countered.

"I guess not," Sarah laughed at herself and joined her husband in bed.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Aidan woke up in the morning and winced as he opened his eyes. They felt almost glued shut.

"What the hell happened?" he asked himself. He heard a knock and then his door opened. He could not get his eyes to open enough to see who it was. He just pulled his blankets over his head and moaned. Then, the covers got ripped away, and someone threw cold water at his face.

"Get up. I am going to show you how to jump your horse today," Phoenix said. Aidan moaned. Phoenix produced a glass with amber colored liquid in it. Aidan took it and downed it, and the hangover disappeared. He looked at the beautiful, but spiteful, princess.

"Thanks," he told her. She started towards the door. As she turned the doorknob she threw a look at him over her shoulder.

"You've got ten minutes shithead," Phoenix said affectionately before she walked out the door. The girl puzzled Aidan, and he loved a good puzzle.


	9. Phoenix Chapter 8

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n : I do not own Labyrinth. Also, I would like to say that the Phoenix part of the story only occupies 12 chapters, and I have not even started Damien's part except for the outline. So I may not update all weekend, until I get a few chapters into Damien's part. So I will post tomorrow, which is Friday, and then not again until Monday. Don't kill me!

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 8

The following weeks went by without much incident. Queen Sarah got bigger and felt crabbier about getting bigger. She kept swearing this was the last kid she was having, but they all knew she liked babies too much for that to happen. Aidan had learned everything he needed to know about his job in the stables, and looked forward to spending time with the horses each day. He was no closer to figuring out why he had been dreaming of Phoenix before he even came here. But their friendly truce had endured. She had shown him how to do basic jumps that first morning after his hangover. He was still a little shaky on that whole concept, but he was learning.

The same day that Phoenix had started showing him jumps, Sarah and Jareth had instructed him on the nobility that would be at the ball. They told him all the proper titles and Sarah made sure he knew how to bow gracefully. They had been putting off dancing lessons for weeks now, though. But today was the day before the ball, and it needed to be done. So Sarah had summoned Phoenix and Aidan to the ballroom for a lesson.

Aidan arrived first, still looking a bit shabby from working in the stables. He gave Sarah a big smile as he walked in.

"Phoenix will be here momentarily," Sarah assured him. And even as she said that Phoenix walked into the room, wearing a pair of flowing black pants and a white poet's shirt, not unlike the ones her father wore. Her feet were clad in black dance slippers. Her hair was swept up in a chignon, and she wore no makeup on her fair face. Why did she always make his heart stop when she walked into a room?

"Hey," was all she said.

"Okay, let's get started with a simple waltz," Sarah gestured and suddenly there was a soft beat drifting over the room. Sarah placed Aidan's right hand below Phoenix's shoulder blades and then clasped their other hands together at shoulder height. Phoenix knew the drill, and placed her hand delicately on Aidan's left shoulder.

"Now, you are supposed to lead her. Aidan, you take your right foot and place it right between Phoenix's legs, and then put your left leg forward and to the side, and then you bring your right to your left and turn. Damn. I am no good at explaining this kind of thing!" Sarah stamped her satin-clad foot in frustration. Jareth appeared in the ballroom just then.

"Why don't we show him, Sarah?" Jareth asked as he took his wife in his arms, in the same position as Phoenix and Aidan now stood. They started to glide across the floor, stepping and then turning. Aidan watched and counted. Phoenix tapped her foot impatiently.

"Phoenix, a lady does not tap her foot like an impudent little chit!" Jareth called from the back of the ballroom.

"Damnit. You ready to try this?" Phoenix asked Aidan. He nodded and started to lead her. He was slow at first, counting and looking at his feet.

"One two three. One two three," he counted. After a few minutes he got over it and started to move with more ease. Eventually he even took his eyes off his feet and looked straight into the glowing orbs that were Phoenix's eyes. They waltzed around the room.

Phoenix looked straight into Aidan's gray eyes. They were the color of the sky during a rainstorm, and they were so soft as they looked at her. He looked directly at her, and she could see that he did not fear her. Most people did. They feared her power, and feared the way she looked. But he looked at her like he saw right through all of that. She wondered what he would do if confronted by her true nature, when she embraced the whole of her power.

Sarah and Jareth had stopped and were watching the two as they danced.

"Do you remember that feeling? The feeling you got when we first danced together?" Jareth whispered in his wife's ear. She looked at him lovingly.

"Do you think I could ever forget that feeling? You were so strong, and I felt so lost. It took all I had to pull away from you and to save Toby. You almost had me there," Sarah pointed out.

"Let's not disturb them. I can put all the knowledge of the rest of the dances in his head," Jareth said quietly. Sarah looked at her husband with reproach. He shrugged, "You never asked"

A crystal floated to Aidan and popped on his head. Aidan felt the knowledge of dances seep into his brain, but he did not let it show to Phoenix. He loved having her in his arms. She moved so lightly and gracefully on the dance floor. He felt the music increase the slightest bit in volume and silently thanked Sarah. Phoenix was oblivious to the change, and she just gazed at him with those beautiful eyes.

Sarah and Jareth transported themselves out of the room, leaving the pair to their own devices.

Aidan did not know how long they had been dancing when he finally thought about kissing her. Her lips were so pink, and looked so soft. They were parted slightly, and she looked up at him as if she could see nothing but him. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. It sent electric shocks up his spine, and he brushed his lips against hers again, this time holding them there. She responded in kind, wrapping her arms about his neck and holding him there. She parted her lips a little more, and Aidan slipped his tongue into her warm mouth. She tasted so sweet. He brushed his tongue up against hers, and pulled her up against his body. He heard her whimper a little in his mouth, and he sucked on her silky lower lip. Then he went back to kissing her passionately.

Phoenix did not even remember where she was. All she could feel, hear, or smell was Aidan. She had never been kissed. Who had been there to kiss her before? But when he had lowered his mouth to hers she knew what was coming, and she had let it happen. She wanted it to happen. He was so sweet. And he had danced like an angel once he had gotten the hang of it. Why couldn't she allow herself this moment? She had been wondering about it every since she had first dreamt of him, and had even dreamt of this very moment, when he would kiss her. She felt herself throwing herself even more passionately into the kiss, pouring all her feelings into it. It was better than her dreams; better than she could have ever imagined.

Eventually they would have to stop, Aidan knew. Even if she was pouring everything she was into the kiss, they both had things they had to do, and the delegation from the Dragonlands would be here soon. He would have to see to their mounts. Reluctantly, he removed his lips from hers, and rained soft kisses all over her face, then hugged her tightly.

"We do not have to talk about it now, Phoenix. We both have things we have to do. Just, for once, don't say anything and let me remember this moment just perfectly," Aidan sighed and let her go. He walked out of the ballroom and back to the stables. Phoenix was left standing alone in the ballroom, with swollen lips and more questions. As always, she lost her temper and went to go find Eamon.

Eamon was sitting near Jareth as he was listening to a messenger from the Ice Queen. Phoenix beckoned him with her fingers, and he followed her into the library.

"What do the rest of you know about that insufferable Aidan that you are keeping from me?" Phoenix demanded to know.

"Sorry, can't tell you, " Eamon apologized as he sat down.

"What do you mean?" Phoenix accused.

"Mom and Dad told us not to say anything to you about him," Eamon shrugged. He wished he could tell her, but it would be better if she realized that she was in love with Aidan on her own. He smiled a wicked smile as he looked at her slightly mussed appearance.

"What?" Phoenix asked him.

"He finally got up the guts to kiss you I see. I thought it was going to take him forever," Eamon said with a straight face. Phoenix blushed a pretty pink and then left the room. Eamon walked back out to the audience room and made eye contact with his mother.

'Did they?' Sarah mouthed.

'Oh yeah,' Eamon mouthed back. Sarah smiled and went back to work. She would have so much to tell Carys and Cara when they arrived.

Aidan felt two things while he continued to work after the events in the ballroom: confusion, and fear. Why did she make him feel this way, and how did she make him feel this way? And if he ever admitted how he felt to her, would she push him away? She was a damned princess. A stubborn, snarly, sometimes nasty princess. And he was in love with her.

Aidan knew he always had been in love with her, even when she was just a dream. She was the reason he turned down all the offers from other women. They all paled in comparison to her. He didn't care about her money, or her power. She was just all there is in the world to him. And how that had happened he did not know. Why did he love her? And how did she feel about him? She ran cold and hot all the time. They had argues at least once every couple of days since he had arrived. One day she got mad because of him not brushing Daemon correctly, for pete's sake! But he loved that part of her too, that she was so fiery. She was like a firecracker. If you lit her fuse she would explode. She was passionate. She had no lack of passion. She had more to her than that, though. She loved her family, and her smile softened when she was talking to them or about them. She was gentle with her horse, and treated him like a trusted friend instead of just a horse. He had seen her paint one afternoon, and she was very talented. She sang like an angel when prodded, and also played a passable piano. There was so much to know and learn about her. He wanted to absorb her, just be around her.

Princess Tanwen strolled up to him and smiled. The little princess was in lessons most of them time, but she did come out to see her mare every day, for at least a little bit.

"Hi Aidan!" she greeted him. She produced a lump of sugar for Apple, which made the horse very happy.

"Hello princess. What brings you out here?" Aidan asked politely.

She screwed up her nose.

"Eamon and Mom were talking about someone kissing Phoenix, and I got out of there. Too much information," Tanwen said, and went back to feeding Apple, while Aidan felt his ears flame up.

Dinner was a grand affair that night. King Danol, Queen Carys, Princess Cara, and Princess Calista had all arrived that evening. Queen Carys was almost as big with child as Sarah. Sarah was due within the next couple of weeks. Princess Calista was the same age as Tanwen, and they were the best of friends. They took their dinner in Tanwen's room so they could gossip. Cara and Toby looked at each other from across the large table, hardly able to take their eyes off one another. You could tell that they were deeply in love, and they did not care who knew.

Aidan was a little bit envious, because the object of his affection would not even look at him. He wondered what he had done wrong, or if she regretted kissing him.

Sarah watched from her place with concern. She was sure she had it all tied up in a bow. They had kissed. They had danced. Her daughter was more stubborn than her father. Phoenix could be a trial. Her daughter had a large amount of fire inside of her, and it showed itself in various ways. Right now, Phoenix was trying to avoid Aidan's gaze. The boy looked lovesick. Sarah felt a little sorry for him. But tomorrow she was sure would seal the deal. Tomorrow was the masquerade. Sarah knew from experience that a masquerade could make the blood boil and make love awaken. That was pure experience.


	10. Phoenix Chapter 9

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth, or the lyrics to "As the World Falls Down". I don't. I wish I did since it is such a pretty song.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 9

As the morning of the masquerade dawned, Phoenix found herself in the music room, playing the piano. She was playing a classical piece of music from the Icelands, a lovely sonata that was sharp and light. By no means was it a bouncy little tune. It was just light, a tune that danced delicately across the keys, reminding her of fairy wings fluttering in the air. She liked to think while she played. And as it always was the case lately, her thoughts drifted to Aidan Bishop.

He was so aggravating! So maddening! When she was around him he looked at her like he was looking through her, into her. Those gray eyes never betrayed one moment of indecision or fear when they looked at her. Those gray eyes had looked at her so intently before they closed and he kissed her. Her first kiss. It had made her tingle from her toes all the way up. She had felt lucky she had not lost it.

Phoenix had been daydreaming and did not notice that her hands had switched songs, to an old song she knew by heart. A song from deep in her mother's most cherished memories. Phoenix began to sing, unaware that her mother had entered and was standing at the back of the room, hands resting on her ever-expanding belly.

_"There's such a sad love_

_Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel_

_Open and closed within your eyes_

_I'll place the sky within your eyes_

_There's such a fooled heart_

_Beating so fast in search of new dreams_

_A love that will last within your heart_

_I'll place the moon within your heart_

_As the pain sweeps through_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gone_

_Wasn't too much fun at all_

_But I'll be there for you_

_As the world falls down_

_Falling_

_Falling down_

_Falling in love_

_I'll paint you mornings of gold_

_I'll spin you valentine evenings_

_Though we're strangers till now_

_We're choosing the path between the stars_

_I'll lay my love between the stars_

_As the pain sweeps through_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gone_

_Wasn't too much fun at all_

_But I'll be there for you _

_As the world falls down…"_

Phoenix finished the song and then just started to play the melody over and over again, humming to herself. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and stopped playing when she saw it was her mother. Sarah had a slight sheen to her eyes, like she was about to cry, but then she blinked it back and it was gone.

"Phoenix, when are you just going to admit to yourself that you love him?" Sarah asked her daughter sincerely. Phoenix sighed and began to play the lovely sonata again.

"I don't love him. I can't love him," Phoenix stated. Sarah sighed and took her daughter's hands off the piano.

"Phoenix, I have seen the way he looks at you. I have seen the way you look at him. You are fighting it. Have you ever considered the fact that you may be meant to be together? That maybe he was brought down here for a reason?" Sarah asked her daughter.

"Of course I have. I'm not stupid," Phoenix said through her teeth.

"Phoenix, I have never said you were stupid, only that you may be a little blind," Sarah suggested to her daughter.

"I am the only Fae to ever be _born_ with eyes like glowing orbs. I can embrace the flame more readily than any other Lady in existence. Why would anyone want to love me, let alone be with me? They fear me. And trust me, the first time I burn Aidan he will turn away," Phoenix asserted.

"I think you are wrong, and that you don't give Aidan enough credit. I have never said you were stupid, sweetheart. But this time, you are being damned dense," Sarah said as she left the room. Phoenix slammed her hands on the keys of the piano and rested her head on the cool wood. Her mother may be right. She had not even given Aidan a chance to say no. After yesterday, she did not want him to say no. She wanted him in her life. She could get addicted to his kisses, and her horse rides could be less lonely.

"Why does it always come to a head when there is something important going on?" Phoenix wondered aloud, and went back to her room.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Aidan knocked on the door of the king and queen's suite. He needed to go into town, and he wanted to make sure it was okay. He wanted to buy Phoenix a small gift, a bracelet to be specific.

The maid, Agee, answered the door.

"Good morning Agee, is Her Majesty here?" Aidan asked the little goblin politely.

"Aidan, come on in," Sarah said warmly from a chair near the balcony. Aidan stepped inside and walked over to the queen, giving her a bow.

"Agee, can you go check and see how the decorators are coming along?" Sarah dismissed her maid neatly, "Now, what can I do for you, Aidan?"

"I wanted to know if I could go into the city. I want to buy Phoenix a gift," Aidan explained.

"Why?" Sarah asked.

"Because I wanted to do something nice for her," Aidan said.

"What do you want to get?" Sarah asked out of curiosity.

"A bracelet. In a dream I had, she was wearing a silver filigree cuff bracelet with sprinkles of blue stones on it. It looked so pretty on her arm," Aidan told Sarah. Sarah waved and a wooden box appeared on her palm. She opened and it and showed the contents to Aidan. There, sitting on a bed on silk, was the exact same bracelet he had seen in his dream, "Why does this keep happening? Why are all of my dreams becoming reality?"

"Aidan, you are in the Underground. What is the Underground but the birthplace of dreams? We are all dreamers. It just so happens that you and my daughter share the same dream. I knew Jareth the minute I saw him. Do you want to know why? Because I had been dreaming of him for years. When I saw the cold, cruel man with the pale hair and mismatched eyes I knew him instantly. I did not know I loved him immediately; that took time. But the point is, Jareth and I shared a dream. When did you realize you loved my daughter?" Sarah asked thoughtfully.

"Yesterday. I was holding her in my arms and all I could see, hear, smell or feel was _her_. It was then that I realized I loved her. I loved her before I even met her, long before the dream had a name," Aidan said.

"You see that bracelet? I did not just make it. I have been saving it for Phoenix. It belonged to Jareth's mother. Phoenix has been asking for it for years now. I now know why I never let her have it. Everything happens for a reason, Aidan," Sarah sighed, "Phoenix is the daughter of light and darkness. She is passion, she is fire. She's obstinate, and she's impulsive. She burns bright, and she burns hot. Be careful"

"It's for all those reasons and more that I love her," Aidan offered.

"Do you fear her?"

"Why would I fear her?"

"Phoenix is the most powerful Fae in the Underground. If she wanted to, she could kill you with one look. So I will ask you again, do you fear her?"

"No," Aidan said decisively.

"Good," Sarah stated.

Aidan took the box back to his room and went back to work.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Phoenix lounged in her bathtub, rubbing fragrant orange oil into her skin. She loved the sweet smell of oranges. Her hair was washed and infused with the same sweet smell.

Phoenix hated being wrong. Tonight she would give him an opportunity to say no. At least then she would know. She wouldn't let herself admit to anything before then.

Phoenix stepped out of her tub and was relieved to find that a maid had brought her a tray for dinner. Phoenix sat at the small table and ate dinner while staring out the window. She found herself to be more at peace now that she knew what she was going to do. She had spent the last month trying to figure Aidan Bishop out, and sort out why he was in her dreams. Now she knew it to be fate, and knew that tonight would decide what their fate might be.

The silvery velvet gown was currently gracing the figure of a mannequin in a corner of her room. Phoenix waved her arm and the gown was on her body, fitting her perfectly. She put on her specially made dancing slippers and sat down in front of a mirror. She only need imagine what she wanted her hair to look like and a wave of the hand did it. Her red, black, and blonde hair came to the top of her head and became a mass of tight curls. She placed her tiara on top of her head, and the nest of curls fit perfectly inside the perimeter. She put on some diamond and sapphire earrings, but wore no necklace. She did not think she would need it. She applied a seductively light shade of lip paint to her already pink lips, and used gray and dark blue eye powders to create a dark and smoky eye. She still had not developed the markings her mother and father had, and did not know when she would either. She grabbed her mask and took the loop holding her train in her right hand.

"Ready or not," Phoenix whispered as she stepped from her room.


	11. Phoenix Chapter 10

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. On another note, does anyone know the best way to separate parts? I am using "&" right now, but is there a better way to do it since ffnet always erases mine? Also, sorry about the late update, I have been way busy. But we only have two chapters left for Phoenix and Aidan. After this one. So I will be spacing them out this week a little so I can get a couple of more chapters of Damien's story done. Thanks for being patient.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 10

Aidan looked dubiously at the ensemble lying on his bed. He had no idea how to make this look right. No clue at all. The black boots were tall and made of soft leather. The breeches and jacket were made of some fabric he could not identify but was nice to touch. The midnight blue color was flattering, and the deep green embroidery that sprinkled the coat was nice. The buttons were made of a softly brushed gold, and the shirt that went underneath the jacket was the silk in the same shade of gold. He knew he was supposed to resemble a peacock; he just hoped he could get it all on and make it look right.

Aidan was still standing there, preparing to wage war on the outfit when there was a knock on the door. Making sure the towel about his waist was secure he opened the door. Aaron stood there, and he swept into the room without saying a word. He looked at the outfit on the bed and then glanced at Aidan. He sighed.

"Can't figure it out , can you?" Aaron asked in amusement. Aidan shook his head, "Well, I could just magic it onto you, but you need to learn how to wear this stuff sooner or later. We are going to do this the non-Fae way"

Aaron spent the next ten minutes explaining the proper way to put on the formal wear. Then Aaron lounged in a chair while Aidan brushed his light brown hair. He was about to pull it back when Aaron spoke up.

"Trust me Aidan, leave it down"

Aidan studied himself in the mirror, and then he put on the peacock mask. Aidan then grabbed the box with the bracelet. Aaron placed his seagull mask on his face and dusted off his light gray breeches as he stood up.

"Ready?" Aaron asked.

"Or not," Aidan laughed. Aaron gave him a withering look as they left the room.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Aidan stood in awe as he looked at the fully decorated ballroom. The place was made to look like a forest, with plants all around. Little trees decorated every table. Fabrics in every forest color you could think of hung from the ceiling and the walls. Little magical firelights danced around the room to give it a shimmery glow. Up at the front of the room was a dais with eleven chairs seated on it. The rest of the tables surrounded the large dance floor.

"The rest of them will be announced in about ten minutes," Aaron told him as they found their designated seats. Aidan looked at his place card with a little humor.

"Lord Aidan Bishop of the Goblin City," Aidan read aloud. Aaron's card had so many titles on it that it was quite funny. For ten minutes they studied the guests and they came and went, their masks covering their identities. Fantastical creatures, beautiful women, handsome men. Aaron pointed out who some of them were. The last was a small girl with long, curly, reddish blonde hair who was drumming her fingers idly on the table.

"That's Xen, the Queen of the Trees. It was brave of her to come. A lot of people still hold a great amount of enmity towards the Tree Kingdom for their betrayal. She will need to marry soon to cement her position. It is too fragile now. What is she dressed as?" Aaron asked.

The dress she wore was a mix of black, brown, and orange and the markings on her mask gave her away.

"A butterfly," Aidan told Aaron.

"How appropriate," Aaron muttered a little.

"Why is she not married already?" Aidan asked.

"The Queen of the Trees and the Ice Queen never marry. They mate to reproduce, but other that, they do not have relationships. Xandra, the former queen, wanted Dad to sire her heirs. But when he fell in love with Mom, all those hopes were dashed. She saw it as a sullying of the bloodline and that is why she aligned herself with the evil dwarf, Nogrod the Usurper. Luckily Nogrod was killed by a catapult and Xandra is encased in fire and crystal and resides in Mom's wardrobe, trapped forever," Aaron told him.

Just then, a trumpeter sounded a loud series of notes. The masks were a necessity, but they all knew who the nobles were, so there was no sense hiding it.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Toby of the Goblin Kingdom, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands!"

Toby and Cara walked in regally, her hand resting lightly on his arm. They were dressed to resemble fish. They were both dressed is shades of blue from head to toe, and they had glittering, scaly masks. When they got to the front they separated and stood in front of their respective chairs.

"Their Royal Highnesses, Princess Tanwen of the Goblin Kingdom, and Princess Calista of the Dragonlands!"

The two little princesses were dressed in the colors of a pair of cats, Tanwen like a calico, and Calista like a black cat. They did the same as the others, standing in front of their chairs.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Phoenix of the Goblin Kingdom!"

All Aidan could do is stare at her. His mind slightly chuckled to see that she was dressed as a peahen. Sarah had her ways. The silvery velvet made her skin look luminescent, and her eyes seemed brighter, glowing through her mask. He could see that people were slightly afraid of her. She looked powerful and regal, as much a queen as her mother. If they only knew how gentle she was. Her hair was piled on top of her head, in curls, nestled in the perimeter of her tiara. The deep v of the dress skimmed the insides of her breasts, allowing Aidan to glimpse her creamy skin. His mouth watered. She glided to her chair and took her place.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Damien of the Goblin Kingdom!"

Damien was dressed as a silver fox, predatory as he walked across the room to his seat. Queen Xen followed him with her eyes, her gaze speculative.

"His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Eamon of the Goblin Kingdom!"

Many a maiden's head turned and a breast heaved in a sigh as the handsome and available prince made his way to his chair, dressed as a stag. His costume was several shades of brown. He was jovial as he made his way to his seat. Aidan has never seen Eamon angry. He was always light and content.

"Their Royal Majesties, King Danol and Queen Carys of the Dragonlands!"

The pair were dressed in greens and golds, resembling the dragons that populated their lands. Their masks shimmered like dragon scales.

"Their most beloved Royal Majesties, King Jareth and Queen Sarah of the Goblin Kingdom, Master and Mistress of the Labyrinth!"

The crowd cheered as Sarah and Jareth made their way to the front, dressed in the guise of ospreys. Their formal crowns rested on their heads, and Aidan noticed that therein lies the difference between Jareth and his sons. Jareth looked like his crown weighed nothing, while Eamon and Damien looked like they wished they could get rid of the damned things. Even the princesses did not mind that much.

Jareth and Sarah came to rest in front of their seats. As soon as they sat, everyone else did also. The band struck up a tune, and Eamon was soon surrounded by women vying for his attention. Aidan realized Eamon just might be the closest thing the Underground had to a rock star. Damien sat impassively in his chair, and looked like he was firmly planted there for the rest of the night. Toby and Cara were dancing together, and the two sets of happy parents were talking together on the dais. Tanwen and Calista were chatting with a group of girls their age.

Aaron winked at him and went to ask his sister to dance. He bowed to her and she laughed. They made their way to the dance floor.

Aidan just sat there, feeling more out of place than ever. He had been trying to hard to adjust, and it just seemed a little slow-going. He guessed his fascination with a certain beautiful princess had no helped matters. A servant passed him with a tray full of full cordial glasses. Aidan swiped one and down the sweet liquid. It burned in his throat. Phoenix was smiling and talking with her brother.

A Fae woman with white hair, blue eyes, and silvery skin approached Aidan. He stood and bowed to her.

"Lord Aidan? I am Princess Celinda of the Ice Lands. Queen Carla is my mother, and I was wondering if I could talk with you. May I sit?" the woman asked. Aidan pulled a chair out for her. Her snow white costume was of a creature Aidan could not name. The white mask on her face was slightly furry, but very small. She wore a very small tiara on her head.

"What can I do for you, Your Highness?" Aidan asked politely.

"You've only recently come here from Aboveground, correct?"

"A month ago. Their Majesties were kind enough to let me stay," Aidan told her.

"I am absolutely fascinated by the Aboveground. I was wondering if I could pick your brain about it all," Celinda told him.

"I am at your disposal," Aidan told her.

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"Where's Aidan?" Phoenix asked her brother.

"I'm surprised you did not recognize him. He is the one dressed to match you, currently talking with Princess Celinda," Aaron pointed them out.

"What's she doing talking to him?" Phoenix said, trying to sound neutral.

"None of your business, considering you've been avoiding him. I am glad he is talking to someone," Aaron told her, and Phoenix threw up her hands in frustration, "What's wrong Phoenix? Don't you love him?"

"Of course I do. I have no idea why or how, but I do. How could I not? I do not know, however, if he loves me, and I need to give him a chance to be afraid of the same thing all these people are afraid of. Would he want to be with someone who could kill him without even batting an eyelash?" Phoenix said as she snagged a cordial glass and tossed back the contents.

"Is it fair to judge before even giving him the opportunity? Now, we have been dancing a while and Mom looks impatient," Aaron let his sister go and he walked away. Just then Aidan and Celinda got up and moved to the dance floor. Phoenix cared not to see that, so she walked out into the moonlit garden and removed her mask.

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Aidan was dancing a lovely waltz with the Ice Princess when there was a phantom tap on his shoulder. When he turned to see who it was, he saw nothing by Phoenix strolling out to the garden.

"Your Highness, please excuse me," Aidan apologized and ran to the table. She was alone, and they could talk. He grabbed the wooden box and headed out the way Phoenix had gone. The music was even playing outside, and Aidan bet that it was all magic. Phoenix was just ahead, sitting on the edge of a fountain, trailing her long fingers in the water. In the moonlight she shone like silver, and her lips looked blood red. Aidan took off his mask.

"What do you want Aidan?" Phoenix asked without looking up.

_You._

"I have something for you, Princess," Aidan held out the box to her. She studied it, puzzled, "Open it already!"

Phoenix opened the box and saw her grandmother's bracelet nestled inside. There was a piece of paper, folded neatly inside the box also.

"Where did you get this Aidan? This belonged to my grandmother. I have been asking my mother for this bracelet for years, and she would never give it to me. How did _you_ get it?" Phoenix demanded.

"I told your mother that I wanted to give you a gift: a bracelet I had seen in a dream. She pulled this out of thin air and told me she knew she had not let you have it for a reason. I'm not good at words Phoenix. Just put the damned thing on and dance with me. Read the note later," Aidan held his hand out to her. Phoenix put the bracelet on her wrist and closed the box. It looked just like he thought it would. She looked up at him with those glowing orbs and took his hand. Aidan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He took her hand in his and began to lead her in a slow waltz.

Again, it was like time and space fell away. It was just the two of them, floating in the air. They looked into each other's eyes and did not say any words.

Neither of them knew how long they had been dancing when a bubble popped over their heads and a piece of parchment dropped on them, breaking the spell. Aidan opened it.

_"Come back inside you two, Toby is about to pop the question – Mom"_

Phoenix and Aidan walked back, not touching, but close. They both replaced their masks and took their seats. The band quieted down, and everyone's attention was on the front, where Toby stood before Sarah and Jareth, facing the crowd.

"It was about eighteen years ago that I was brought her by my sister, Queen Sarah, to live because my mother was dying and I had no other family. Not long after I came here I developed a crush on a young girl three years my senior. The crush became and infatuation, and the infatuation became love. It was not until the last couple of years that I realized all I wanted in the world was to make her happy," Toby took off his mask and Cara did the same. Her eyes were shining, "So, in front of all our family and friends I ask you, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands, to be my wife. Will you marry me?"

The tearful Cara nodded and stood.

"I, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands accept your proposal," she said formally. Toby slipped a ring onto her finger that Aidan could not see, and then kissed her passionately. Everyone cheered.


	12. Phoenix Chapter 11

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. And I do not own the song, "Strangers in the Night".

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 11

When Toby had finished kissing his fiancée, everyone took off their masks and the dancing soon resumed. Sarah even danced, though her big belly prevented her from waltzing too fast. Aidan danced with many of the women. He even danced with Cara, when Toby had let her go for a bit. She had been there when Phoenix was born.

"Are you scared of Her Highness?" Aidan asked Cara.

"Only someone who was blind could not be afraid of her a little bit. She is powerful, has even been so since she was born. She came out powerful. She's also sweet, caring, loving, and honest. She knows everyone fears her. It alienates her. I think that is why she spends so much time riding alone. The land does not fear her, and neither does Daemon. She can take comfort in that. Even Sarah and Jareth are the littlest bit afraid of her. Not enough for anyone to notice though. Phoenix knows she will not rule. She is a princess without a queen role to fulfill. She wants more than to just sit here and grow old without someone to love her," Cara told him. Aidan nodded. He and Phoenix were not so different. They were both stuck here, wanting to do more than grow old alone.

Aidan found Phoenix when she was walking back to her room, after all the guests had either left or retired.

"Did you have fun?" he asked her.

"Mm-hmm," Phoenix nodded as she walked. They reached their doors, still across the hall from each other. Aidan opened her door for her and kissed her cheek. He felt there was no need to push anything tonight. Then he went to his room and closed the door.

Aidan took off his clothing without any problems, and collapsed into his bed. He would not get any answers or ask any questions until morning. He fell asleep between one thought and the next.

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Phoenix made herself wait until she was showered and had her hair combed and dried before she sat down to read the letter. She was dressed in a long, black nightgown, and a white robe was tied loosely around her waist. She sat on the bed and opened the letter. His writing was a little scratchy and not neatly rounded like hers. She started to read.

_"Phoenix,_

_The first time I dreamt of you and me together is the one dream I remember the strongest. It was a period piece, come to think of it. 1940's in the Aboveground. I was wearing a black tuxedo with tails and you wore a sapphire blue dancing dress, with a flirty skirt. Your hair was done in the style of women like Ava Gardner and Lauren Bacall, all sleek and wavy. Your lips were as red as your hair, and your eyes were made up to look smoky and seductive. You were more beautiful than anyone could imagine, with your shining eyes. We were in a modern ballroom, but we were alone. I asked you to dance, and you said yes in that sweet voice I would always remember. On your wrists was the bracelet you are wearing right now. It was the first and only time I ever saw it until your mother produced it for me to give to you. A song began to play. I knew the words and asked you if you did. You said no. I sang to you as we danced, close as lovers._

'_Strangers in the night exchanging glances_

_Wond'ring in the night_

_What were the chances we'd be sharing love_

_Before the night was through._

_Something in your eyes was so inviting,_

_Something in you smile was so exciting,_

_Something in my heart,_

_Told me I must have you._

_Strangers in the night, two lonely people_

_We were strangers in the night_

_Up to the moment_

_When we said our first hello._

_Little did we know_

_Love was just a glance away,_

_A warm embracing dance away and -_

_Ever since that night we've been together._

_Lovers at first sight, in love forever._

_It turned out so right,_

_For strangers in the night.'_

Phoenix nearly dropped the note. The memory came back to her all of a sudden. She had dreamt that dream too. The melody had been so haunting, so unlike anything she had ever heard before. A tear dropped from one of her brilliant eyes and she brushed it away before beginning to read again.

"_I twirled you around that ballroom, my eyes never leaving yours as I sang softly to you. Your dress flirted against my legs as we swayed. You rested your head on my shoulder. I stopped our swaying and placed my fingers underneath your chin. I tilted your face up and kissed your lips. You opened your mouth for me, and it tasted better than anything I had ever tasted before. I looked up and we were no longer in a ballroom. We were in a beautiful bedroom. The bedroom I sleep in now. Then I woke up Phoenix. I woke up and you were not real. That night was the first night I drew you._

_I now know why we have plagued each other's dreams. I have thought about it long and hard. We were meant to be together. Fate pushed us together. I'm not that good at words, Phoenix. So I think I will leave it at that._

_Even though I have written this before I will even see you tonight I wanted to tell you that you looked more beautiful than anyone could possibly imagine. You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. And for the record, I am not afraid of you. – Aidan"_

Phoenix refolded the letter and tapped it against her chin.

"Well, mortal, you are about to find out why people are afraid of me. We will see if you find me so beautiful after this," Phoenix transformed herself into her full Goblin Princess regalia, the costume she had worn the night she and her father had offered Aidan's brother his dreams. She looked fearsome, and she swept out of her room, crop in hand.

Phoenix looked to make sure no one was looking, and then she walked across the hall and opened Aidan's door.

a/n: I know, I am evil. A cliffhanger…oooohhh. Well, hang onto your hats people, because there is only more chapter in Phoenix's story…and you will not be seeing it until Friday I think. Two whole days! On another note of shameless sisterly promotion, all of you should check out the story "Blood Ties" by ammendiana. I may be biased, but it is a really wonderful Laby fanfic my little (if 20 can be called little) sister is writing. I personally am in love with it.


	13. Phoenix Chapter 12

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. And for all of you, I hope you like this ending. Remember, this is not the whole end, Damien's story is coming after this, but it will not be today.

_**Part One: Phoenix**_

Chapter 12

Aidan was sleeping soundly, wearing only a pair of white cotton pajama bottoms. Phoenix looked at him sadly. If this did what she anticipated, then this would be the last time he would ever be glad to see her.

"Aidan, I love you. That is why I have to do this. You need to know who I really am," Phoenix whispered. Then she steeled herself and gathered power. Her eyes glowed brighter, and a sourceless breeze rippled her black cape.

The room became bright and Phoenix reached down and gathered her voice.

"Aiii-dannn," she sang in a dark voice, and used magic to awaken him. She knew he would be alarmed to see her this way. He sat up suddenly and looked around in confusion. Then he saw her, and his gaze became curious.

"Phoenix, why are you in my room at this time of night dressed like you are going to kill someone?"

Phoenix was shocked he did not scream, shout or yell, but she pressed on with her plan.

"Do you know what it is like to wield the light and the dark? To feel the pain I can inflict?" Phoenix sang to him in her ethereal voice, tinged by darkness.

"You wouldn't hurt me Phoenix. You're not like that. No matter what everyone else says. They may be afraid of you, I'm not," Aidan got up from his bed and stood in front of her, implacable. She looked in his eyes and found no fear, "I think you want to scare me away Phoenix. I think you don't want to let me in. I think you think I will become afraid of you and that I will leave. You are afraid of a broken heart. Princess Phoenix is not afraid of anything else but a broken heart. You want someone to love you, and someone who knows you are about more than just power and beauty"

Phoenix knew she needed to step it up a notch, and she embraced the power that made her a Lady of the Flame. She felt her hair change into fire, and felt the light burst from her eyes. Her whole body became suffused with warmth from the stones beneath her feet as she became a living flame.

Aidan knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to save him. Give him the opportunity to leave. He was not going to go anywhere. On fire or not, he loved her, and he knew she would not hurt him. He stepped so close he could feel the fire tickling his skin. But it did not burn. He knew it. She had to direct the flame for it to hurt. He looked into her eyes and knew the truth. She loved him. He leaned down and kissed her lips. He heard a sob escape her lips as she returned the kiss. The flame went away and Phoenix was back, wearing her nightgown and robe instead of her fearsome costume. Her hair was mussed from the ordeal. She looked beautiful.

"You would not get away from me so easily, Your Highness," Aidan whispered as he hugged her tight.

"How did you know?" she asked him.

"You would never hurt me sweetheart. You don't have it in you to hurt someone you care about," Aidan told her.

"How do you know I care about you?" Phoenix asked him a little indignantly.

"I saw it in your eyes," Aidan told her. Then he captured her lips once again and kissed her very thoroughly. Phoenix let him kiss her like that, more intense than in the ballroom, and with more passion. Desire slammed through her, and she felt heat start to pool between her legs. She was hungry for him. She untied her robe and let it fall to the ground. She pressed her body up close to Aidan's and put her hands on his bare chest. She rubbed his nipples in circular motions with her thumbs, and he gasped a little in her mouth. She moved her hands up and tangled her fingers in his hair. He brought his hands up her back, scraping his nails gently on her skin. She arched into him and felt his arousal against her abdomen. He hooked his fingers underneath the straps of her nightgown and bared her shoulders. He kissed his way down her neck and down to her shoulder, where he gently bit her. He repeated this on the other side. Phoenix let her arms become loose, and her nightgown dropped to the floor. She was wearing nothing underneath. Her skin was smooth beneath his hands, and he kissed her still, with hands wondering all over her back and buttocks.

Phoenix moved her hands in between them and undid the ties that held Aidan's pants on. They slipped to the floor and they stepped out of their clothes. They were both nude, and Aidan picked Phoenix up and carried her to his bed. He laid her down and covered her up before getting in beside her. He looked at her intently.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her.

"Of all the things I have ever been sure of, this is the second surest I have ever been," Phoenix told him with a smile.

"What was the first surest?" Aidan asked her impishly.

"When I figured out that I love you," Phoenix told him. Aidan gathered her in his arms and kissed her roughly.

"I love you," Aidan told her.

They took their time, exploring and tasting each other. Neither one of them had done this before and they wanted to make it last. When at last, Phoenix was ready for him, he rose above her and was gentle as he eased into her. There was a brief moment of pain, and then only bliss as he began to move within her. Their bodies were soaked with sweat and they both moaned as they felt the climax began to build. Phoenix felt like she was going to explode, and then she did, with a loud gasp and a long shudder. Not long after, Aidan stiffened as his release hit him. He sank down on the bed, and pulled her to lie in the crook of his arm. She had her legs entangled with his, and her mouth tasted the skin on his neck. He stroked her hair.

"I suppose I have to make an honest woman out you now, huh?" Aidan asked his love.

"Not yet, not if you do not want to," Phoenix told him as she nibbled his neck.

"What if I want to?" he asked her. Phoenix lifted her head and looked into his eyes.

"Maybe," Phoenix smiled at him. He pinned her down quickly and looked into her eyes.

"Maybe? What do you want?" Aidan asked her.

"You," Phoenix said softly.

"Princess Phoenix of the Goblin Kingdom, will you kindly consent to be my wife?" Aidan asked dramatically.

"No"

"No! Why the hell not?"

"Because to you, and only you, I am just Phoenix. Not the Goblin Princess. Not the most powerful Fae in the Underground. Just Phoenix," Phoenix told him.

Aidan pulled her on top of him and looked into her shining eyes.

"Will you marry me Phoenix?"

"Ask me again"

"Will you marry me Phoenix?"

Phoenix had never been so happy in her whole life. She savored the sweet words and answered the only way she could.

"Yes"

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a/n: There ya go, that's the way Princess Phoenix fell in love.

Next up is Damien. Prince Damien goes to the Tree Kingdom to help Queen Xen reorganize the broken kingdom left to her by the evil Xandra. Xen wants only to make everything in her kingdom right again, even while she is plagued with horrible memories.


	14. Damien Chapter 1

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. There are flashbacks of violence and non-consensual sex in this story from time to time. Just warning you. This is the first chapter of Damien's story. I will not be posting anything else until Tuesday at the earliest, due to our nation's prettiest holiday, the 4th of July. Gotta love fireworks. Hope y'all like it, leave me a review or two wouldya?

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 1

_It was dark, and so cold. She did not know how long she had been down here. Time had lost all meaning to her. She shivered and hugged her knees. For the millionth time she cursed her mouth. She could not help but talk, that was all she ever did was run at the mouth. Her big mouth had gotten her into this. Why did she have to disagree with the Queen? Why did she think she could make treasonous comments and not get caught? When would she learn to keep her mouth shut? _

_The door to her cell opened and she winced. A nasty smell enveloped her. It was one of them, coming to take what was not theirs to take. The iron in the bars was just enough to keep her from using her small amount of magic, and that made her defenseless._

_"Don't worry pretty, I'll take good care of you," the dwarf said as he pinned her down. She was not allowed clothing. Defenseless and weak, the dwarf forced her knees apart and put his hand between her thighs…_

Queen Xen of the Tree Kingdom awoke with a start. She was panting and her olive tinged skin was slick with sweat. This was a recurring nightmare. Sometimes it got worse. Sometimes she was tortured, sometimes she was passed between invisible people. Sometimes she was dying of starvation. Sometimes dehydration. Sometimes she was insane. But they were all just dreams of what did happen and what could have happened to her in the dungeon she had occupied for months beneath the castle of the Queen of the Trees.

If it could be called a castle. Xen thought it was nothing compared to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City or the castle in the elf kingdom. She loved it, though. The castle of the Queen of the Trees was embedded into the trunk of a great, huge tree, forgotten by time. The whole place was made of wood. And to think, it has almost all been destroyed. If the insane Xandra had succeeded in killing Queen Sarah and taking over the Labyrinth, Xen was sure that that evil dwarf would have killed Xandra next. That one had not even cared for Xandra's plans one bit. He had only wanted to dominate. He had come down into the dungeon one time when Xen was being held there.

_"Hey pretty, boy aren't you nice to look at, even if you are a little runty. I bet I can find someone to show you a good time, would you like that?" the evil dwarf asked her. She spit in his face. The guards unlocked the door and Nogrod stomped in, and kicked her in the gut. He kicked her several times, until she was sobbing loudly. She was not the strongest dryad to begin with, and was not used to being hit. He took his fists to her face and broke her little nose and split her lip. Then he took a knife out and put it to her throat, "Try anything like that again and I promise your death will not be as quick as me slitting your pathetic throat"_

_Then he had left the cell. Xen laid on the floor, bleeding and crying. The guards locked the door again, and she was left in the dark._

The dryad stood up, wearing nothing but her own skin. Xandra had worn gowns, but Xen loved nothing but the feeling of her own skin. Except when she was holding court, or entertaining outside visitors. Then she would either wear a gauzy dress or she would wear a short tunic. She never wore shoes, and her feet bore the grass stains to attest to that. Her chocolate brown eyes were black in the moonlight that filtered in through the balcony, and her reddish blonde hair shone like red gold. It was curly, and unruly, taking on a very strange life of its own. She usually wore it up and out of her face, but tonight she had fallen asleep with it streaming down her back. There were various scars on her body that she had received at the hands of Nogrod and his dwarves, but she tried to ignore them.

Xen walked out onto the balcony, letting the night air taste her skin. Truth was, she was lucky to sleep at all. Insomnia had plagued her for eighteen years now. Eighteen years since she had been found, healed, and crowned.

Jareth, the King of the Goblins had found her. After his beloved Goblin Queen had given birth to her triplets he had led an expedition to try and see what there was to salvage of the evil Queen Xandra's kingdom. She still remembered that day, even though it was eighteen years ago.

_She tried to see, but it was so dark. She had not had anything to eat in days, and the little bit of water she had access to run out a few days ago. She was so dehydrated, so tired. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep. But sleep meant that the dwarves could catch her unawares, and they would take her again. She would not be broken, and driven insane! _

_A voice called out through the darkness._

_"Are there any prisoners down here?" she heard a cultured voice say softly. She was the only one left alive, and she grunted, not managing to get words out. A small ball of light blinded her, and she saw blonde hair and mismatched eyes staring at her. She curled up in a ball. _

_"Don't hurt me! Please don't? I swear I'll be good! I swear!" Xen began to rock back and forth, crying loudly._

_"Shh. I'm not here to hurt you, girl. My name is Jareth, I'm the Goblin King. Who are you?"_

_But all she could do was sob and rock, never coming out of her shell. _

_"Nab, I am going to need to go back to the Goblin City with this one, and get her a healer. I will be back as soon as I can. Girl, I do not know if you can hear me, but I am going to encase you in a crystal sphere, and take you with me to my castle in the Goblin City. Such a pity," Jareth had said. She fell into blackness._

_When Xen awoke, she was in a huge, luxurious bedroom. The bed she was in was made of fragrant cedar wood. The whole room smelled like a forest, clean and sharp. She was underneath bedcovers made of soft silk, which were dyed to various shades of green. The pillows underneath her head were filled with down feathers, and the mattress was as well. She sat up abruptly, and felt her head spin._

_"You had better stay down dear," a clear voice said. Xen saw a woman wearing a long black gown and a golden circlet about her head._

_"Who are you?" Xen had blurted out._

_"Queen Sarah. My husband, Jareth, was the one who found you and brought you back here to be healed," the woman told her._

_"How long have I been here?"_

_"You have been here, asleep, for about two weeks. You had also been in and out of consciousness for a few weeks before that. There is a difference between consciousness and just being in a deep sleep. We had feared you would not survive. You were dehydrated, starving, and very close to death. You had infections on various parts of your body from unhealed wounds. You had bones that were broken and not set. We managed to heal the wounds and the bones. Your body is still fighting off the infections. We were able to give you fluids and some nutrition. You are still very weak, and you will not be able to get out of bed for at least another week. There were, other injuries, that were difficult to heal," Sarah told her quietly, and with great compassion._

_Xen knew what she was talking about. How they had used her! _

_"How bad is it? Will I be able to…?"_

_"The healer tells me that you will still be able to bear children, or whatever you call your young. It will be some months before you can hope to have intercourse, but it will be okay eventually," Sarah told her._

_Xen fell silent, and did not say another word for weeks. She would eat, she would drink, and she would allow herself to be led back and forth to the bathroom, but she was otherwise in a state of deep catatonia. The whole time, Queen Sarah stayed with her off and on, usually with one or more of her children with her. Xen did not remember anything from this time really, just little still images in her head. Then one day she spoke again._

_"If you are Queen Sarah, what happened to Xandra?"_

_Sarah sighed, "She was defeated. By me. I stripped her of her magic and imprisoned her somewhere she will never escape," she shuddered._

_"Then Nogrod was defeated?" _

_"Yes. He was killed by a catapult," Sarah told the dryad._

_"Not good enough," Xen said through her teeth, and Sarah realized who had put her in this condition._

_"What is your name?" Sarah asked her._

_"Xen. I was a member of Xandra's army until I got caught disagreeing with Xandra's war against you. She threw me in the dungeon, and never looked back. How many of her troops survived?"_

_"None," Sarah whispered, sounding sorry._

_Xen's head shot up._

_"None?"_

_"I burnt them all to a crisp. They injured my brother and killed my best friend," Sarah told her._

_A realization came to Xen just then._

_"I am the highest ranking official left!"_

_"How's that?" Sarah asked._

_"I was basically the third-in-command of the dryads. Xandra took just about everyone to your Labyrinth. If they all died, then I am in charge," Xen whispered._

_"We found a few sprites, nymphs, and dryads out in the Tree Kingdom. They were all non-violent, almost just like caretakers. But I would have to say, that besides you, there is only about fifty or seventy five subjects left," Sarah told her. Sarah produced a crystal and spoke into it, "Jareth, come here please. Move slowly and non-aggressively"_

_A few moments later the door opened and in walked the man with the blond hair and mismatched eyes. The man who had rescued her._

_"Thank you for rescuing me," Xen told him. He waved his hand as if to dismiss the comment. He moved slowly and stood next to his wife._

_"Her name is Xen. She was third-in-command of the dryads before Xandra threw her into the dungeon. It seems she is all they have left," Sarah told him._

_"Well then, congratulations Your Majesty," Jareth made a short bow._

_"What?"_

_"As soon as you are better the High Lord will be crowning you Queen of the Trees. You are all they have Xen. We will be here to help you," Jareth explained._

And that was how Xen, the little dryad who ran at the mouth, became the Queen of the Trees.


	15. Damien Chapter 2

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. I am sorry about the fact that this is so late tonight, I am just really busy right now. My sister-in-law's car broke down and I have been shuttling her and my husband around in our tiny car. Also, I will not be updating again until Thursday. I am trying to finish chapter 4 of this, and I have gotten most of chapter 5 written I think. I feel I have kind of lost a lot of my audience after Phoenix's story ended….I hope to gain some of them back soon.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 2

Damien's stallion, Dante, came to a full stop in front of a gigantic, ancient tree. The castle of the Queen of the Trees was a wooden fortress, embedded in the massive trunk. He dismounted and inhaled the fresh scents that permeated the air around him.

A dryad came to meet him, dressed in naught but a small green tunic, belted at the waist. She was barefoot, and had an arrow drawn back in its bow. She had it aimed for his heart.

"Who are you?" she asked rudely.

"Prince Damien of the Goblin Kingdom, and I am here to see Her Majesty," Damien told the dryad with a dangerous glint in his mismatched eyes, his father's eyes.

The dryad lowered her bow and fingered the arrowhead thoughtfully, "Xen is expecting you," she told him, and made a motion to follow her. He saw a petite figure come out onto the balcony. She was dressed in light green gauze, with a coronet of flowers and leaves on her reddish blonde head. Her hair was curly, and looked as if nothing had ever dried it but the air around her.

"Your Majesty, Prince Damien is here to see you. After you are done with him, can I have him?" the dryad asked, pretending he was not even there. Either that or she did not care he was there.

"Xdrea, hush. King Jareth would be furious if anything happened to one of his children," the Queen of the Trees admonished the dryad, "Don't worry about Xdrea, Your Highness. She gets a bit antsy sometimes"

Damien offered her a curt bow before speaking.

"Perfectly okay, Your Majesty. Where should I take my things?"

"Come inside Damien. Xdrea will show you a room," Queen Xen disappeared from the balcony.

Xdrea made that same motion for him to follow her, and Damien walked silently into the castle. It was warm and cozy. The wood muffled the noises they made as they travelled. They walked up and up until they got to a landing where there was a white door.

"This is your room. I am sure the queen will show you around when she has the time," Xdrea opened the door for him. The room was in good taste. The wood was all blackwood, and was elegantly designed. Most of the fabrics were a combination of green and brown. There was a window that looked west, towards his home. There was a bathroom on the north side, with a large tub. He was relieved that not absolutely everything was made of wood. The bathtub was made of a natural stone, and looked very inviting.

"Go ahead and get comfortable," the dryad said, and then she disappeared around the corner. Damien sat down on the bed and contemplated the Queen of the Trees.

Damien had seen her before, of course. Had met her once. They were technically neighbors, but Damien was away a lot. He remembered he had first met her when she had been staying with them after his father had found her. He had only been a baby then, but she looked the same then as she did now. Dryads were a very long-lived species. They were like humans in almost every aspect, down to most of their anatomy. Their skin tended to be olive-tinged, and their hair was always a shade of red, from light to dark. Their eyes were almost always hazel or brown. Queen Xen had brown eyes.

Damien had been just a baby when he met her for the first time. Their mother had trained them well, even in the womb. His mother had been sitting in the room where Xen had been sleeping. She had been nursing him. When he pulled away she picked him up and went over to the bed to check on Xen.

_"Look Damien, this is Xen. She was hurt by some evil dwarves. She's very pretty. You will get to know her when you get older," Sarah told her young son. The baby stared seriously at the dryad lying in the bed. The dryad opened her eyes and looked directly at Damien._

_"What a pretty baby," was all the dryad said before she shut her eyes again and went back to sleep._

Damien had seen her again at the party where his Uncle Toby and Princess Cara had gotten engaged. She had been wearing a costume resembling a butterfly. The dress she had worn was done in rich shades of black, brown, and orange. There was no denying she was pretty. Almost all dryads were pretty. They were related to the forest nymphs, and forest nymphs were known to be irresistible. He knew that not a few goblins had fallen prey to some nymph's charms in the Labyrinth before his mother had vaporized them all.

He settled down to wait.

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Queen Xen let out a deep breath she had been holding. He was a tall Fae male. She had seen him before, but she had never really looked at him. And he would be living in her castle for an indeterminate amount of time. King Jareth had offered to let Damien come stay to help her reorganize her kingdom and survey the land. She needed the help too. She had no idea how many subjects there were even left for her to rule.

Xen knew she needed an heir. She needed more than one actually. She needed a male to mate with her. But god, that was the one thing she was terrified of. As a dryad, she should feel no squeamishness, but as a rape victim it was all she feared and more. The insomnia, the nightmares. She feared males. She would have to get over it. And what would any male say about the scars on her body? The one on her right eyebrow was the least of them. She had one on her left arm, three inches long and deep. It had been an infected gash when she had been rescued. One particularly cruel dwarf had taken a knife to the undersides of her small breasts and cut into the skin, following the curve of the breast. She had trembled in fear he would take the whole breast. Lucky for her, those infections had not resulted in any necrosis. And there was another scar on the inside of her right thigh, where a dwarf had threatened her with a special kind of castration if she did not do what he said. What would any man say about these signs, these testimonials that she had been used?

Damien was tall, and imposing. He had those eyes he shared with his father, the mismatched color. His hair was like his mother's, straight and dark. The tips were a white blonde. He wore it back, Xen knew, so she could not tell exactly how long it was. He was muscular, and everything about him screamed dark. She knew he was a man of few words. Sarah had told her that when she had gone to the Goblin Kingdom to see Toby and Cara get engaged.

To be a strong queen she would need to know how to handle being around men like Damien without losing it, and without showing her fear. She would need to act like a queen and not a victim. She swallowed her objections and went to go see the prince down the hall.

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Damien stood when the queen walked into his chambers. She just stepped in, trying to look as confident as possible. She was so small compared to him. He gave her a bow.

"Prince Damien, I am so glad you could come to help me out. It is a little late in the day to begin anything really. I wanted to ask about your family though before I leave you for the evening. How are they?" Xen asked.

"Fine," Damien said. Xen knew he was not talkative, but really!

"How is your mother?"

"Pregnant. Due in about a month or so. Something like that," Damien shrugged.

_This is going to take a long time if he keeps being so quiet,_ "And your father?"

"Good"

_Ugh, _"And your sister?"

"Which one?"

"Phoenix"

"She's okay, she got engaged to a mortal that was wished away to us. He's an okay guy"

"And Tanwen?"

"Schooling"

"Prince Eamon?"

"Still a goof off"

Xen gave up at that point. A man of few words. A gorgeous man of few words, but a man of few words just the same, "Well, Your Highness, I am going to take my leave. I will send someone to wake you in the morning. We need to get an early start"

"Not necessary"

Xen looked at him surprised, but just nodded and turned to leave. Maybe this was not such a good idea.

_Too late for that now_, she chided herself.


	16. Damien Chapter 3

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. And the trials and tribulations of I, Liz aka WickedGame, continue. I have had barely any time to write, and am only up to chapter 5 on this story as a result. Hopefully I can get a substantial amount of writing in later today and I hope to post another chapter on Saturday maybe. Stay faithful!

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 3

Xen awoke in the morning when her maid, Lavina, opened her drapes. Lavina was a sprite, and she was one of the few sprites who did not go to war with Xandra. She was small, but very businesslike for a sprite. They usually were too busy playing pranks and causing trouble, but Lavina had a serious streak.

"Lavina, could you please awaken His Highness?" Xen asked as she stretched. She wore nothing to bed, just as she preferred to wear nothing all the time.

"No need Your Majesty, he has been awake for some time now," Lavina told her as she made the bed.

Xen stared at her in shock and then made her way to her balcony. She liked to feel the cool air on her skin before she put on the tunic she would wear during the day. What was he doing up? The sun had barely risen, and he had already been up? What the heck was wrong with him? If it were not for court and business, she would sleep until the sun would not let her anymore.

As Xen stepped out into the morning sun, she found herself ducking quickly back into her room. The prince was below her balcony, working sword forms on her grass. She threw on a light robe and stepped back out to watch him. He was shirtless, but wearing black pants. His feet were bare. He had a large sword, and was flowing gracefully from form to form. His footwork was intricate, and he almost looked liked a dancer as he concentrated. She could see the sweat on his skin, and noted his hair looked wet. She hated to interrupt him, but they needed to eat and then get out.

"Good morning Prince!" she called out. He stopped abruptly and bowed to her.

"Good morning Your Majesty," he said in his deep voice.

"Xen. If we are going to be spending this much time together you can call me Xen. Have you had breakfast?" she asked him.

"No, not yet," Damien said as he sheathed the sword.

"Come on in, we will eat quickly before we leave," Xen told him. She walked inside and donned her green tunic. It was short, only coming to mid-thigh. She pulled her curls up and secured them in a bun at the top of her head. No crown today, just a wreath of flowers on top of her head. She went barefoot, and she made her way to the dining room.

Damien was waiting for her, already dry and changed. He wore black boots, and black breeches. His shirt was white and open at his throat.

_If he wasn't so damned male I would actually be rather attracted to him,_ Xen thought. But then she said the first thing that came to mind, "Damned Fae magic"

Damien cocked his head, questioning her statement.

"You were sweating and working out. Two moments later you are dry, clean, and clothed. It's not fair," Xen smiled at him.

"I wonder what your basis for comparison is?" Damien asked instinctively.

Xen let out a twinkling laugh and sat down in the chair he held out for her.

Breakfast was small, but Damien did not seem to mind. Xen did not eat meat, so almost everything was fruit, vegetable, or grain.

"If you wish, I could send for some meat," Xen told her guest.

"Not necessary," Damien told her. Xen continued to eat.

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An hour or so later they found themselves hiking through the forest, with Xen cooing at every tree. They spoke to her, and she listened. They were so old, and so wise. Damien just watched her as she tilted her head this way and that. She was a pretty little thing. She seemed to move like she was floating. She stopped every once and a while to scamper up a tree. He watched her, enchanted, as she would lay her hands on a trunk and put her forehead on the tree, communicating in a way only she could understand.

They reached a glade and Xen stopped to rest.

"There are so few left," Xen murmured.

Damien just looked at her. Xen smiled at him before she began to explain.

"When Xandra took us to war, she took about eighty five percent of our citizens. Almost all the dryads, who help keep the trees around. A lot of the nymphs, who take care of the land while they enchant men to breed. And the sprites. A lot of the sprites, because Xandra felt they were expendable. She was not a good queen. But she was the queen, so they followed her. And then your mother killed them all. Poof! Ash. Killed by the very thing we forest folk fear the most, fire," Xen stared out into the distance, while twiddling a blade of grass between her fingers.

"Do you blame her?" Damien asked quietly.

"No! No, no. She had no choice. Xandra would have killed her, and all she held dear. Xandra would have killed you. I bear Queen Sarah no grudge. I told Xandra it was a folly to go to war. I told her Nogrod would eventually betray her," Xen drifted off again, "Well, we should continue. It is going to take us until the end of the day to reach the edge of my kingdom, such as it is"

They walked some more, Xen continuing to listen to the voices only she could hear, and Damien watching with interest.

As the sun started to droop on the horizon, they reached the southern edge of her forest. Xen gasped and started to cry as they saw the damage. The trees were dead. Acres of trees.

"Are you all right?" Damien asked her.

"So much pain. They all died. There was no one here to take care of them. Not enough of us to hold them here," Xen cried, and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Let's retreat a bit back into the woods. I will build a fire, and we can set up camp," Damien told the weeping queen.

She looked up at him, eyes red from crying, and nodded. She rose from the ground and walked with him back into the forest.

Damien found dead wood lying around the forest, and stacked it in a small clearing. He built the campfire, and went to light it with a crystal he conjured from his hand.

"Keep it small. The trees do not like fire. They will leave us be for now, and shelter us, but we must keep the fire small," Xen told him. He nodded, and gently brought the fire to life.

"Your sister could have done that with a thought, and your mother too," Xen told him.

"There is no such thing as a Lord of the Flame," Damien shrugged.

They ate some food from the packs and then sat next to the fire drinking coffee.

"I have to find a way to repopulate. We are all so spread out, and so wary of one another right now. We need to get together and we need to mate," Xen stated, and saw Damien's head shoot up to look at her.

"Do you think so?" Damien asked.

"Did you see those trees? If we do not repopulate, that will happen to the entire kingdom. It is so empty here, the whole kingdom feel empty. I feel so insignificant. I am only one, and I have to find a way to makes us many," Xen said sadly. Her thoughts turned inward again, trying to think of what they could do. Trying to save her kingdom like any good queen would. Then she remembered something, "That might work"

Damien looked at her, an unsaid question in his eyes.

"There is a ritual. It has not been done for many centuries, but it is a mating ritual. Well, more like a dance. There is a drink that is prepared, and then we start the dance. The drink is a sort of sexual stimulant. It is not something I like to do, forcing my subjects to mate, but it needs to be done. We all have an obligation to the land," Xen told him.

"When?" Damien asked.

"A week, maybe two," Xen told him.

Later that night, Xen was still awake in her blankets on the ground as she thought back on her coronation.

_There was almost no one there. Jareth, Sarah, Aaron, and Toby were there. The High Lord was there. But other than that, none of her subjects had shown. They were all still hiding from her, hiding from the war and from the reality of the situation._

_She wore a long green dress, made of gauze, and she wore her reddish blonde curls down. The hair brushed the top of her buttocks as she stepped in front of the High Lord. She knelt in front of him, and he held her formal crown in the air._

_"I crown you Queen Xen, Queen of the Trees," the High Lord intoned, and he lowered the crown on her anointed head. Then it was over. She wanted to cry. She had been left with nothing. Xandra had raped the kingdom, making her just as bad as Nogrod and his evil dwarfs._

Xen felt herself tear up, and she cried herself to sleep.

Damien looked on, feeling no real need to sleep himself. He felt helpless as the little queen cried for her kingdom, or what was left of it. But there was nothing he could do except help her as he was assigned to do, and hope that would be enough for the pretty little thing that could not shut her mouth.


	17. Damien Chapter 4

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. For some time now I have not bothered to say it, but I do own all original characters. Ha! Beat that.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 4

When Xen and Damien returned to the palace it was night, and there was a piece of parchment waiting for them. It was sealed with wax, and the seal stamped into it was that of King Danol.

"Wonder what this is?" Xen said as she broke the seal. And then she began to read.

_To her Royal Majesty, Queen Xen, and his Royal Highness, Prince Damien:_

_We ask that you join us in the Goblin City as soon as possible. Prince Toby and Princess Cara have decided to marry sooner, rather than later. They will be wed in one week's time. We are having the ceremony in the Goblin City due to Queen Sarah's pregnancy. Since we were all here anyways, we thought it would be okay. Hope to see you in the next day or two. _

_Signed,_

_King Danol_

"Lavina? When did this come?" Xen asked her maid.

"Yesterday, after you left, Your Majesty," Lavina told her.

"Please ask His Highness to come to my chambers," Xen ordered her maid. A minute later Damien knocked on the door. Xen went to open it, and found that the Goblin Prince was wearing nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms. She felt her face grow flush.

"Here!" she said as she held out the letter to him. He frowned and opened it. After scanning it he gave it back to her.

"We leave in the morning. Do you have a horse?" Damien asked her. Xen shook her head, "We will both ride on Daemon. We can make good time on him. It would take a week if we did not have him. I can use a bit of magic to speed the journey. We can be inside the city in three days if we push it. Be ready to go first thing in the morning," Damien said. He turned on his heel and left her in her doorway. He was right of course, but she hated being pushed around. But now she had to spend another three days traveling with this man. Away from her trees, and from her people. She sighed and began to pack.

Xen had seen the siblings briefly at the masquerade Sarah and Jareth had thrown. She had never had the opportunity to speak with them though. She had seen them when they were babies briefly though. By the Lady, had it been that long? It was sometimes difficult for Xen to remember the tall man that was staying with her was only a baby when she had been crowned. Had it been that long? Xen shook her head and began to pack.

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Damien was up early the next morning, and he dressed quickly in his riding clothes before going to Xen's room. Her maid was just about to bring in her breakfast tray.

"I can go ahead and do that if you would like, Lavina," Damien told the sprite.

The sprite gave into her mischievous nature and handed Damien the tray, "Of course, Your Highness. Thank you for offering"

Damien walked into the room and saw Xen was still asleep on her big bed. Her blankets were pulled up to her chin. He sat the tray down and went to her bedside. She looked peaceful. And quiet. She talked so much. But when she was quiet, she had a certain grace to her. She stretched out and the covers slipped down just a little, exposing her bare shoulders.

_Bare shoulders?_, Damien thought with alarm, _But that would mean…_

Damien realized with a start that Xen was not wearing anything under her covers. He quickly left the room, and went in search of the impudent little sprite who had almost gotten him in trouble. A blush spread over his cheeks, which only served to make him madder.

Xen woke up and saw her breakfast tray sitting on the table, but no Lavina. Remembering she had a guest, Xen grabbed her robe and headed out onto the balcony. She shrugged when she saw nothing, and began to eat her breakfast, knowing she had to be quick about it. By Damien's count, they would make it to the Goblin City with two days to spare.

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Damien was just strapping the last of the packs onto Daemon when Xen came out of the castle wearing the same short tunic she had worn while they were surveying the forest. She offered Damien a smile as she approached his horse.

"Daemon, this is Xen. She is going to ride with us. Be nice," Damien said to his horse. The horse even snorted as if he understood. Damien mounted and then pulled Xen up behind him on the saddle. Xen settled herself in, holding onto Damien's waist. She prayed her bun would hold her unruly hair in place as they rode. She had given instructions to Xdrea and Lavina, and trusted they would stay out of trouble for five or six days. She waved at them as they took off.

It was fine at first, Daemon cantoring happily through the forest towards the Goblin Kingdom. They were eating up ground at a steady pace. After a few hours Xen's butt began to hurt, and by the time they stopped for the night, her butt really hurt. She spread out her blankets and lie down on her stomach as Damien built a fire.

"Do you want me to help with something?" Xen asked, relishing the fact that her ass pointed up right now.

"No, it's okay. Do you want some laced coffee?" Damien asked her politely.

"Thanks, that would be nice," Xen said, "Do you know if there are any bodies of water near here?"

"Not far to the south there is a spring. It is cold though," Damien added.

"Ah. Well, cold water will do nothing for my backside, so I guess I can wait to bathe," Xen told him with a sly smile. Damien just went about his work, oblivious to her comment. He was so hard to get a reaction out of! Aggravating.

The coffee was soon ready, along with some cheese, bread, and apples Damien had packed. Xen happily chomped on an apple, but refused to roll over onto her back.

After a few minutes Damien spoke, "I know a little healing magic, I could maybe help you. It would require me putting my hands on your posterior though"

Xen tensed up as he mentioned touching her like that, and he noticed. It was almost a visual cringe, as if she would wrap herself in a ball if she could.

"No thank you," was all she said. Damien let it drop. He's be damned if he was going to argue with someone who not only outranked him, but who was also an obviously startled little dryad. It wasn't worth the energy.

They slept under the stars, with a gently fire burning. And at first light, they set off again, with magic on their side as they rode.

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Queen Sarah smiled as she danced a crystal ball on her hand. Damien and Xen were close now. They had been on the road for two days, and would be in the Goblin City by nightfall. Her son looked as if he wished she would stop talking, and she looked like she wished he would say something. It made Sarah smile.

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Daemon skidded to a stop in front of the castle, and a handsome young man came to take Daemon's reins as the sun dropped below the horizon.

"Aidan," Damien said in greeting.

"Your Highness," Aidan bowed. Normally Aidan would have joked with the young prince, but court appearances must be maintained unless Sarah or Jareth told him it was okay. He just took Daemon's reins and headed towards the stables. Xen just wished for a warm bath to ease away the ache in her bottom. She followed Damien into the castle, and towards the audience chamber.

The joint rulers of both the Goblin Kingdom and the Labyrinth sat in their blackwood chairs on a raised portion of the audience chamber, talking quietly. Sarah's hand was resting on her very big belly. She looked up when she heard the footsteps Damien was making. Xen made very little noise at all, her feet were small and she was light. She smiled at them as they walked into the room.

"Xen! So nice to see you! I am glad you could come," Sarah told her sister queen as Xen gave a nod of the head.

"Queen Sarah, it is nice to see you as well. King Jareth," Xen nodded in the direction of the very fair king. He only nodded in response.

"Damien, did you treat the queen well during your journey?" Sarah asked her son.

"Yes," was all Damien said. Xen stared at him. So few words!

"No way mister! My backside hurts!" Xen protested, and she earned a chuckle from the king.

"Xen, your rooms are already prepared if you would like to go bathe and change. Then we will have dinner," Sarah told the dryad.

"I'm going to do the same if you don't need me," Damien told his mother. She waved him off.

"Xen, you are staying in the same rooms as you did the last time, do you know the way or would you like me to summon someone to help you?" Sarah asked Xen.

"No, I can manage, thanks," Xen told Sarah, and she followed Damien down the hallway. But he turned right, and she turned left. She had no idea where his rooms were, and then she had no idea why she even cared.

Xen's rooms were done in the colors she liked best. Sarah had done that with her when she had been staying there. The carpet's were in rich shades of green, and the walls were a very lovely cream color. The bed was made of a light wood, with coverings in shades of reds and golds, like fallen leaves. She loved her rooms here almost as much as she liked her rooms at home. The bathroom was made of natural stone and the bathtub was made to look like a small pond. Sarah had wanted her to feel at home here, and she did. Xen turned the taps and the bath started to fill with warm water. She stripped and tossed her tunic into a corner. Then she lowered herself into the tub and immediately stuck her head underneath the water, rinsing the miles of traveling off her body and out of her hair. She used the fresh smelling soaps and shampoos and scrubbed until she felt clean again. Then she stepped out of the tub and dried off. A small goblin walked in and Xen knew that this was Agee, Sarah's maid.

"Your Majesty, the queen sent me to help you with your hair," Agee told her, and waited patiently. Xen went to her closet and looked inside. She still had gowns here. She chose a golden toned gown made of a silk crepe that fell to mid-calf. It was off the shoulder, with a scoop neck and a princess waistline. The skirt was a-line, and slightly full. She sat down at the vanity and let the goblin work her magic with her hair. Soon her reddish-gold curls were arranged so that they gathered in a bun at the crown of her head, with a long length of curls falling fetchingly over one shoulder. Sarah did not require her to wear shoes since she knew Xen did not like to ever wear shoes, but Xen did feel she could wear the cute golden sandals that she had seen in her closet. So she slipped them on.

"You look very beautiful, Your Majesty," Agee told her, "The family is just about to gather if you would like to join them now"

Xen walked out the door and was met by Prince Eamon, who was leaning lazily against the wall.

"Well met, Your Majesty. Don't you look pretty tonight!" Eamon exclaimed.

"Nice of you to say Eamon. You are such the flatterer. I hear tales everyday of how many hearts you have broken," Xen teased the prince as she took his arm.

"I don't break them. Those girls are just not what I am interested in. Then they get upset because I will not drop to my knees in front of them and propose. What did you do to Damien?" Eamon asked her.

"Huh? I have no idea what you are talking about," Xen told her escort.

"He has been hold up in his room ever since you two arrived, and will not talk to any of us," Eamon told her.

Xen shrugged, "I have no clue"

They continued down the hallways until they reached the dining room.


	18. Damien Chapter 5

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 5

Everyone was gathered in the dining room, the table specially extended for the occasion. Jareth sat at the head of the table, with Sarah on his right. Everyone took a seat, and Xen ended up between Phoenix and Eamon, across from Damien. Damien looked at her briefly before returning his gaze to the wine glass in his hand. He swirled the white wine in the crystal glass and stared at it expectantly. He looked beyond bored.

And to tell the truth, Damien _was _bored. The eighteen year old may have been a man with little to say about anyone or anything, but his thoughts ran constantly, holding their own little conversation behind the beautiful eyes he inherited from his father. The boredom came mainly from the fact that he liked being outdoors more than he liked being cooped up here in the castle. His mother had gotten a kick out of the fact that he would hide from her within the immense labyrinth as a child. She would seek him out after a space of time, and they would walk silently through the maze, listening to the sounds the creatures made and smiling at one another. His mother had never needed to hear him speak very many words, she knew him too well to think that words were necessary. He glanced at his mother then, a glass of juice in one hand and the other hand rested on her swollen belly. She was due very soon. She looked like she was ready to pop. He smiled inwardly and never betrayed it to anyone else. He had been extremely happy when Tanwen had arrived. She was a sweetheart. He had taught her how to ride, and had spent some hours with her inside the Labyrinth also.

_She is growing up so quick. It will not be very many more years before men start vying for her hand,_ Damien thought.

The dryad was talking animatedly again, gesturing with her tiny hands as she told a tale to the queen about Xdrea. He caught the tale end of the tale.

"… and I told Xdrea she could not take the man home with her, for she already had waylaid two other men that same week!" Xen laughed and wiped tears from her eyes. Sarah was doing the same.

"When can I meet Xdrea?" Eamon asked lecherously. Xen elbowed him and he stuck his tongue out at her.

_Those two get along well. Everyone gets along with Eamon. He is all lightness. It radiates from his pores. I am the opposite. I am dark. All my life I have been told I am darker than he, and even darker than Phoenix. People back off from me, and generally leave me alone. Why is that little dryad not afraid of me? I could snap her like a twig! Does she even realize it? She talks and talks like nothing ever bothers her. The only time I even saw her tense up was when I offered to heal her pain from riding._

Damien contemplated the dryad, sitting prettily with her red gold hair and the golden dress she had been provided with. She looked good in gold. He thought she looked better in that little dryad tunic she was accustomed to wearing. She had slim thighs, and nice calves. Her feet were little and always grass stained. Her arms were slender, and he wondered what she looked liked under the tunic.

_What is the matter with you Damien? The girl is a queen, and you are working with her! You are supposed to be helping her, not undressing her with your eyes! _

Sarah caught her son looking intently at Xen, and wanted to laugh.

_Poor Damien. The boy does not know what to do with her. My children are so melodramatic. It is not like it would be a bad match. He is a prince, and she is a queen. Xen is going to have to revoke her kingdom's law against marriage. Her reign is too weak to not have a strong male presence. But I do not envy her the task. Not after what she has been through. She was lucky she lived through it. _

Xen sat through the dinner, being a brave little trooper, even though she was exhausted and longed for sleep. When everyone started to make a move to retire she still lingered, not wanting to be ungrateful. Finally she could make her way to her room. The day after tomorrow would be Toby and Cara's wedding. But, in the morning Xen wanted to go out to the gardens and breathe the fresh air and find a nice tree to scamper up. So she accepted Eamon's offer to be escorted to her room, and stayed silent during the walk. Eamon talked enough for both of them. Normally she was talking as much as the crown prince, but she stayed silent out of exhaustion. Eamon was nice, but sometimes he was too nice for her tastes. She needed someone with a little acid on their tongue, someone who would fight back. Eamon would always be so accepting, and always so nice. Why would she want someone who would agree with whatever she wanted? Not that Eamon was a doormat, but he definitely was sensitive enough that he knew how to keep a girl happy. He was gorgeous, but she wanted someone who had enough bite to them that they would fight back against her sometimes overbearing personality.

Xen slipped in between the cool sheets, nude as always, and left her windows wide open. The cool air blew through the room gently. And she drifted slowly off to sleep.

_She stood in the grove, wearing nothing but her own skin. Trees of all shapes and sizes swayed slightly with the gentle breeze, teasing her nipples to stiff points, and blowing her wild hair around her. She heard the sound of a twig breaking, and she turned around. Damien stood there, his hair down, his face wild with disbelief and wonder. They drank in the scars on her body, and the expanses of olive tinged skin. He wore black breeches and boots, but nothing else. He looked like he had just gotten up and had forgotten to get dressed all the way. He had never looked more beautiful to her. He always looked beautiful. So dark. So strong. She used to think the darkness in him would hurt the weakness in her, but now she knew his darkness would protect her, his darkness would embrace her. Only he could make it right. They stared at each other from only about five feet away, but to Xen it was too far. She needed to be as close to him as possible. She stepped forward…._

Xen sat up in bed with a start.

"What was that about?" she asked herself. She unconsciously traced the scars underneath her round breasts before lying back down for a deep sleep. Nogrod stayed out of her dreams that night.


	19. Damien Chapter 6

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter Six

The next morning Xen awoke early and dressed herself in her tunic before going out to the gardens. She breathed in the fresh, clean air before setting on down the paths. The sun had just barely risen, and the air smelled of dew and sweet pollen. She delighted in feeling the cold grass on her feet, and then she saw a large tree in the distance. She made her way to it, and scampered up to the top limbs of the old tree. It told her of the things it had seen, and how much it liked it here. It showed her pictures of Sarah and Jareth, and of the kids. The tree would live for many years yet. Xen laid her back against the trunk while balancing on a slender branch of the tree. She was relaxing when she heard a noise from the small meadow just beyond the tree. It was almost like a grunt, but not quite. She angled herself so she could see…Damien. Working sword forms on the grass. His chest was shining with sweat, even in this cool morning air. His hair was slicked back with the same sweat. His arms were like thick cables. Damien was the most qualified swordsman in the kingdom. All three of the triplets knew how to use weapons, but Damien was by far the best. His eyes were facing forward, but they focused on nothing. They almost looked like they focused inward, as if he was looking only at himself. It was a kind of meditation, and more than likely his way of praying.

_What beautiful worship it is_, Xen thought.

Xen allowed herself to stare at him, enraptured by the way his muscles moved and the sword sang through the air. It was a dance. She relaxed on the branch and found herself resting her cheek on the wood.

_How long does he do this every morning? Does he even do it every morning? Does he ever allow himself to sleep in? Does he sleep soundly? Does he have as many problems sleeping as I do? He seems to be so brooding, so angsty at times. He seems so dangerous and so dark. I think he wants people to think he is more dangerous than he actually is. And as for dark, don't we all have a little darkness in us? I can feel my darkness. It lies in the portions of me that know that my imprisonment and my sexual abuse were a test for me, and that they made me who I am. Each scar is a testimony, every white line a reminder of who I am. If Nogrod had not used me, and others like him, then I might not know what it is like to suffer. I needed to know what it was like to suffer. And maybe, one day, I will know the pleasure sex can bring, rather than the pain and torture of it._

Xen felt her eyes bore into Damien's skin as she thought about the pleasure he could bring her. Those muscles, that skin. Those slightly pointed teeth. His hands were not as long and graceful as Eamon's. They were a little thicker, and she could imagine those hands grabbing her curly hair.

_What am I thinking? He is not going to be interested in sleeping with a dryad covered in scars._

Just then, a bubble floated in front of her face and waited until she sat up on the branch to pop in her waiting hand. A message was there.

_Xen, please come back to the castle. We need to have dresses made for the wedding. We could use you here! –Sarah_

"Oh bother!" Xen said as she flipped backwards off the branch and landed silently on the soft ground. She turned around and bumped right into the sweating, topless Damien. He looked at her with an amusedly arched eyebrow.

"What?" Xen asked him.

"Do you make it a habit of spying on me Xen?" Damien asked her.

"Do you make it a habit of practicing sword forms while topless?" Xen asked him as she turned away from him. He grabbed her arm. She looked up at him with little apprehension. He drew her small body closer and she could smell the musk coming off his body.

"Next time, just make yourself known. I do not mind if you watch me, Xen. But I do not like being spied on"

Xen back away from him when he let her go, with a small smile on her face.

"What?" Damien said to her.

"You said my name without me asking you to. I just like the way you say it, Damien," Xen said his name like it was to be savored. Then she turned and jogged back in the direction of the castle.

Damien shook his head to clear out the fog in it. The way she said his name had harshly reminded him that she was not a small child. She may look like she was only a little girl, in terms of her size, but she was very much an adult dryad. And capable of adult feelings and adult urges, just as he had felt an urge to kiss her just then. He knew she had been watching. He was too well trained not to know when someone was watching him. But he had let her watch him work out. He had worked twice as hard while she was lying on that branch. He did not know why, but the little dryad attracted him. Was it because she needed to be taken care of? Was it because she talked too much? Was it because she just had something about her? Damien pondered as he walked.

_Maybe she has a darkness about her also. Maybe she knows that life is not all about being light and happy. Maybe she knows that we are made up of our experiences, and that darkness is not always something to fear. _

Damien tried to stop thinking of the little dryad, but found that he could not. He resigned himself to the thought of her, and made his way to his room, and then his bathtub.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Xen came upon Sarah's goblin maid, Agee in the hallway.

"Agee? Where is her majesty?" Xen asked politely.

Agee curtsied before answering, "Queen Sarah and the other women are in the dressmaking room. I will guide you," Agee walked forward, and Xen followed. They came upon a simple door that led into a large room littered with dresses and mannequins. In a corner sat Sarah, Carys, Cara, Calista, Phoenix, and Tanwen. Xen smiled at the women before taking a seat to Phoenix's right. She curled her small legs up into the chair and twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

"Look at this," Sarah thrust a notebook at Xen. Xen took it and looked at the dress on the page. It was strapless, cream colored, and had green ribbon for the trim.

"I assume this is Cara's wedding dress?" Xen guessed. Sarah nodded.

"Do you like it?" Cara asked.

"Your Highness, it is a beautiful dress," Xen told the princess.

"That's what I thought!" Cara exclaimed as she looked at Sarah expectantly.

Sarah sighed, "I still think pink would be better, but if you insist"

The dress appeared almost immediately on a nearby mannequin. Cara squealed just a little and got up to finger the fabric.

The next couple of hours was spent designing and conjuring gowns. Xen protested when the other women insisted she needed to wear lavender, but then she gave in. The dress was not as light as she was used to. It was floor length, with an a-line skirt. It was made of silk, and was off the shoulder. The sleeves were long, and bell shaped. They were made of a sheer lavender chiffon. The top was trimmed with a floral ribbon, and the waistline sat directly on her tiny waist. It had a very small train. It was a grand gown, but not too overwhelming. And she had to admit that the lavender did wonders for her light skin and reddish gold hair. She could even go barefoot like she liked to, and no one would notice.

They sat in silence, taking their lunch in the large room.

"When are you and Aidan going to marry, Phoenix?" Xen finally asked, not liking the silence.

"Well, we do not know yet. Sometime in the next year," Phoenix told her.

"If Aidan had it his way it would be now!" Tanwen laughed out loud.

"Hey, Tanwen, Calista, why don't you go find something else to do?" Sarah asked the two girls.

"This means they are going to talk about stuff they do not want us to hear," Tanwen moaned, but did as she was told. Calista followed her out the door. Sarah took another sip of her coffee.

"So, what are you going to do?" she asked.

"About my population problem, you mean?" Xen asked Sarah and she nodded, "I am going to hold a mating ritual. A few days after I return. I will issue to summons for all subjects to come to the capital, and then we will drink the ritual drink and then we will find other subjects to mate with, and hopefully a lot of offspring will be conceived. Barbaric, I know, but I hardly have any choices. First thing is first though. I am going to have Damien help me clean out and destroy the dungeons when we get back. I do not think we will need them anymore"

"A wise course of action. Those dungeons were in a bad state before you were even put down there," Sarah told the dryad. Xen nodded.

"Is Damien going to participate in this ritual?" Cara asked a little wickedly. Xen felt herself blush as she looked down at her hands.

"That's his choice. I do not know if he will or not," Xen tried to shrug nonchalantly.

"Well, tomorrow is the wedding. I suggest we all spend the afternoon relaxing, and I will see all of you at dinner," Sarah dismissed them, and Xen stopped Phoenix on her way out.

"Is there someplace good to swim at within the castle area?" Xen asked Phoenix.

"If you take a horse and go up the trail a little ways there is a nice spring to swim in. Just past the large oak tree," Phoenix told her.

Xen sprinted off to the stables, and accepted the small tan mare that Aidan brought her. She took off down the main trail, and towards what was sure to be an invigorating swim. She would think about everything else tomorrow.


	20. Damien Chapter 7

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 7

Xen went out in the morning to spy on Damien again. He was there as usual, working those forms. He stopped after a few minutes and looked directly at her.

"Get down here, Your Majesty," Damien pointed at the ground in front of him. Xen dropped out of the tree and padded across the dewy grass to where he stood.

"Why are you watching me?" Damien asked her, point blank.

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Xen asked him.

"I think I do," Damien told her.

"Too bad, I'm not going to tell you," Xen said with a vehement shake of her small head.

"How about this. I teach you a little sword play, you tell me what makes you so curious about this goblin prince," Damien propostioned.

Xen cocked her head sideways and contemplated his offer, "I think what you do is kind of a beautiful dance. It is graceful, yet very powerful. You look at peace while you are doing it. It is the only time you seem to be doing anything but brooding. And that is all you will get out of me"

Damien laughed a very rare genuine laugh, "Oh, you will be the death of me I swear it"

"When do I get a lesson?" Xen asked, intent on keeping him at his word.

"As soon as we get a sword made small enough for you. You are used to arrows and daggers. We will make you an actual sword," Damien told her, "Now go. Relax and rest. Tonight will be busy"

Xen walked off without a backwards glance, but she had a big smile on her face. A smile that was matched with a rare one from the stoic goblin prince.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Xen sat before her mirror, with a goblin maid named Corda. Her hair was being swept back at the sides and being pinned in place with purple jeweled hair pins. The lavender dress was stunning on her. Sarah had came to her earlier in the day with an amethyst necklace and matching bracelet. Corda settled Xen's formal crown on her small head. It was made of gold, and was not too large. The emeralds and diamonds in it sparkled brightly. The intricately wrought leaves looked as if they would rustle in the wind, but they just sat there on her curls. She loved to look at the thing, but she did not like wearing it very much. She sighed as Corda offered her various face paints. Xen just added a bit of sheer pink gloss to her lips before standing up. She gathered her small train in her hand and slipped the loop on the end around her finger.

"You may go now Corda," Xen told the maid. Corda curtsied and then left. Xen looked at herself in the mirror. It was so hard to look as regal as Sarah did when she was no bigger than a minute. A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts, and she went to answer it. Damien stood there, looking resplendent in black. His boots, his breeches, and his jacket were all black. The shirt, open at the neck, was made of a lightweight gray material. A necklace with a black stone set into it shone against his pale skin. His hair was down for once, and she could see the white tips glisten in the candlelight of the hallway. He looked at her weirdly, as if he had never seen her before.

"What's wrong Damien?" Xen asked him as she closed the door behind her.

"You look different," he told her.

"Different bad? I rather like this color," Xen told him as she spun around on the ball of her foot.

"No, not bad. Just, you look like a queen instead of a precocious dryad," Damien said as he offered his arm. Xen took the arm and they began to walk. The wedding would be held in the throne room. They passed Aidan on the way.

"I will see you guys in the ballroom after the ceremony, right?" Aidan waved at them before walking down the hall.

"You look good Damien," Xen told her escort. He stared straight ahead and just grunted in appreciation. Xen laughed as they reached the throne room. Damien left her at a seat near the front, while he took his place to the side of his father's throne. Phoenix, Eamon and Tanwen were already seated. Princess Calista was sitting on the other side of room, much in the same position Xen was. Aaron came in and sat beside Xen. The titles granted to him by Jareth had made him eligible to be here.

"Some night, huh?" Aaron asked her. He was wearing green and brown, and looked handsome.

"Yeah. I just want to get to the dancing," Xen smiled.

"Ah, just you wait. Uncle Toby has been waiting for this for a long time. I think we are about to begin," Aaron said as the room became silent. Everyone stood as Queen Carys and King Danol strode into the room, accompanied by invisible violin music. Everyone bowed or curtsied, except for Xen, who did not have to. Everyone stayed standing as Jareth and Sarah appeared in the doorway. Sarah wore a velvet gown in a shade of burgundy, and Jareth wore black and burgundy. They strode forward and sat down on their formal thrones.

The music changed, and trumpet blasts filled the air as Toby and Cara filled the doorway. Cara wore the cream dress with green trim. Toby wore a green outfit in the same shade of green as the ribbon on Cara's dress. His shirt was the same shade of cream as Cara's dress. Cara carried a bouquet of deep red roses. She wore her formal crown on her head, just as Toby wore his. They walked slowly forward until they stood before the High Lord. They knelt, and Cara laid her roses on the floor beside her.

"We gather here on this night for a ritual of love. You, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands, and Prince Toby of the Goblin Kingdom stand here before your family, your friends, and the Lord and the Lady to join together as one. What say you?" The High Lord asked the couple. They rose and faced each other, holding hands. Toby spoke first.

"I, Prince Toby of the Goblin Kingdom, do take you, Princess Cara, as my partner and mate. Never will I seek to do you harm; always will I strive for your happiness and welfare. My love will be your treasure in the times when other riches fail to serve. My love will be your medicine in sickness as my hand tends your needs. My love will be your mirth when your heart is touched by sadness. My love will be your shining star through the darkest of nights. My love will be your banquet when life's table seems empty. All this do I promise you with all the love that is in my heart. This I swear by the Lord and the Lady"

Cara spoke next, her voice thick with tears, "My love, now do I make my promises to you. I promise to share laughter in times of joy and wonder; to share tears when sorrow touches our lives; to share my dreams and hopes, that our love and minds may grow; to share compassion and understanding during times of frustration and anger; to share all that I have, and all that I am. This I swear by the Lord and the Lady"

"A ring is a symbol of everlasting love. All things come in circles. The sun is round, and the moon is round. Life is a circle, it never ends. As you place these rings on each other's hands, speak the words that come to your heart," the High Lord intoned.

The pair spoke together as they slipped the rings onto each other's fingers, "As a circle has no end, let my love be as infinite"

Sarah was openly crying, as was Phoenix. Xen herself dabbed at her eyes with a hankerchief Aaron provided her.

"Let these two be joined as one. I now present to you, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands, and Prince Consort Toby of the Dragonlands, Prince of the Goblin Kingdom. May their kingdoms prosper from their union, and may love bloom eternally," the High Lord intoned, "You may kiss your bride"

Toby took that advice to heart and kissed Cara very seriously before letting her grab her flowers off the floor. Everyone made their way out after them to the ballroom. Aaron offered his arm to Xen and they made their way to the ballroom.

Xen was not a bad dancer. She was a good follower, and generally let the male really lead her around the floor. She walked up to Toby and Cara. They bowed and curtsied to her.

"I want to offer my congratulations. I have a present for you two. Hold out your hands," Xen told them. They did, and she placed a special nut in each of their hands, "This is the traditional gift of the Queen of the Trees. These nuts must be planted underneath your windowsill before you retire for the night. They will insure conception for you. Two of these were planted the night the triplets were conceived, and two of them were planted the night the king was conceived. It is a long-standing tradition. Please, do not forget"

"Thank you Your Majesty," Cara told her. Xen walked away, and ran into Damien almost immediately.

"Excuse me Damien," Xen attempted to walk around him, but he stopped her.

"You don't want to dance with me?" he asked her, pretending to be hurt.

Xen liked this little bit of lightness to him, "You never asked"

"Forget asking. Come on," Damien took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. They began to waltz around the room. Xen found her face looking straight at Damien's chest. She blushed as she thought about resting her hands on the skin there, of tasting him. She shook her head and looked up at him. Big mistake. His eyes were focused on her. Those enchanted eyes. She blushed and let him lead her. She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of being danced. And then she was let go, and he bowed over her hand and kissed the knuckles, "Thank you"

Xen watched him walk off from her. She was suddenly grabbed by Eamon and she let him lead her around the floor. Would Damien always surprise her?

"What's wrong?" Eamon asked her.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I think I might retire early is all. Maybe after this dance," Xen told him.

"And deprive all these males of your company?" Eamon laughed at her.

In spite of herself she laughed, "Just the same. I am tired, and I need to prepare for the trip back to my kingdom"

When Eamon was done dancing with her she took her leave, and walked towards the castle doors. A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Damien.

_How apt, this man coming out from the shadows_, Xen thought.

"Where are you going?" Damien asked her as she made her way to the doors.

"Back to my room. We need to leave tomorrow and I wish to rest and pack," Xen told him. It was nonsense. She would get plenty of rest and a maid could pack for her. Damien took her arm and slowed her down.

"There is no need to be hasty and rip that pretty dress," Damien told her. He moved his hand to the small of her back, where it warmed her skin beneath the gown and made her tingle. She let him lead her to her room. They stopped outside the door. Xen turned to say good night to Damien. His eyes looked a little wild, and his stance became a little predatory. Like a panther. He looked ready to strike. She felt herself cower.

Damien saw it. She had never cowered before him before. Why now? He noticed how he was poised over her, leaning into her. He was so tall, and she was so tiny. He relaxed his pose, but he took two fingers and tilted her chin up so her eyes met his.

"I wouldn't hurt you Xen," Damien said as he brushed his lips over hers. She gasped a little at the gentle touch. His lips were so soft, and his touch was gentle. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him back, pressing her lips against his.

Her lips were soft as rose petals, and Damien wanted more of them. But then she backed away.

"I know you wouldn't. You just have to understand. Well, you will understand, when we get back to my kingdom," Xen told him as she opened the door, "Good night Damien"

Damien looked at the closed door and wondered what he was in for now.

_Why did I kiss her? Why did I have to go and do a stupid thing like that? I have to go back with this woman!_

Damien shook his head and then slapped his forehead before walking down the hall.

_Look before you leap, Damien._

a/n: I am not even going to apologize for waiting this long to send out this chapter. This entire past weekend was devoted to the new harry potter book and to my son's 5th birthday. So you will get no apologies from me. If you are an HP fan, let me know what you thought of the book. I am curious.


	21. Damien Chapter 8

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. A little warning – this chapter does have a graphic and violent non-consensual sex scene. Avert ye eyes if you must.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 8

Xen moaned as she hit the ground after dismounting from Dante. Damien laughed at her as she sprawled on the ground.

"Don't laugh! My ass hurts!" Xen admonished him.

"You will need to get used to riding a horse someday," Damien told her as he swung down. He offered her a hand and she regretfully took it.

"Why? I have trees, and mostly flat ground. I am small and fast," Xen explained.

Damien sighed and handed Dante's reins to a sullen Xdrea. The ride back to the Tree Kingdom had been a little less hurried, and they had not had to ride half as hard as they did going to Goblin City. Xen had spent most of the time talking enough for the both of them. She told him about her mother, a dryad who was very talented in juggling apparently, but little else. She had not idea who her father was. More than likely he was some elf that had wondered too far into the forest and had been ensnared by her mother's charms. Xen had told him her mother had been shorter than she was, and had very dark red hair. Her eyes had been blue. Damien surmised Xen's deep brown eyes must have come from her father. The extra bit of height must have come from him also. Xen was staring at him.

"What?" he asked her.

"You need a bath. So do I. I think we should both go our rooms and spend the rest of the day thinking about how blessed we are to have beds and bathtubs. I will see you tomorrow morning, bright and early?" Xen asked. Damien had been spending his mornings teaching her to use the short sword he had commissioned for her in Goblin City. She rose in the mornings when he woke her. Sometimes it was like waking the dead.

"I will wake you up when I get up," Damien told her.

Xen thought silently as she climbed the stairs to her waiting bed. When she reached her room she slipped off her tunic and unbound her hair. The curls fell to her backside, and she looked at the hairs with disdain.

"Lavina, please draw my bath," Xen ordered her maid. The sprite did as she was told, adding a healthy dose of bath oil to the water. Xen finally slipped into the steaming tub, and moaned with a healthy amount of volume. Her ass truly did hurt, but the warm water was slowly soaking away the hurt, along with removing the feeling of travel from her body. Her thoughts drifted when she closed her eyes.

Damien had slowly begun to start talking to her. Not monosyllables, but actual sentences. They had conversations! When he opened his mouth, he was intelligent and fairly charming, while still keeping it low and level. He debated with her, and she could sense the strength in him. Not just the physical strength, but the mental and emotional strength. When he cared about someone, like he did his family, he would become passionate, and would get angry easily. He was possessive, and he was fiercely loyal. She liked it. She felt weak around him. Well, she felt weak all the time. She felt like prey to everyone around her.

But strangely, the dreams had not returned. Those evil dreams of rape, molestation, torture, violence. Blood, her blood. They had not come back. She still could not sleep for fear of them returning, but when she did sleep it was dreamless.

Dinner was waiting for her when she got out of the tub and dried herself off. She sat down, nude, at a small table to eat the meal in front of her. She shook her head as she drank from a tea cup.

_It will do no good to hope that the dreams do not return. You know they will, Xen. Horrors like that are not likely to ever be completely forgotten,_ Xen thought. And she was right.

_Xen was wasting away. Her skin had taken on a sallow tone as she sat, rotting in that dungeon. She didn't cry anymore. She didn't bother. She could not even form a coherent thought anymore. Her small amount of water sat, still full. Her lips were cracked from dehydration, and her nails were broken, cracked, and bloody. Her eyes hurt to even keep open anymore. She knew she would die here. She just knew it. Her hair was a mess of lank curls, and the reddish gold of it had been caked in dirt and filth for so long she no longer remembered what it actually looked like. There were footsteps, and then the cell door opened. There stood an evil looking dwarf, who was frothing at the mouth and covered in mud._

_"What a pretty little whore. Ol' Gorb will take care of you. Just spread your pretty little legs, you filthy slut," Gorb waited for her to do as she was told, but Xen no longer had the strength to do anything. Gorb raised his hand and punched her, hard. Her lip split wide open, and blood flew from it to splatter on the wall. Xen fell over on her side, and she curled up in a ball._

_"Oi! Nogrod, this little bitch won't spread her legs!" Gorb yelled, and soon Nogrod came into the cell, a look of cruelty upon his malformed face. He rolled Xen onto her back and pulled her legs down and apart._

_"Take what you deserve, Gorb. And we will punish her for disobeying," Nogrod laughed a maniacal laugh as Gorb pulled down his pants. He stroked himself a couple of times before slamming into Xen's delicate body. She did not make a sound. She would not make it fun for them anymore. She would not gasp, cry, wail, any of that. She just laid there, limp as a doll. Nogrod did not like that. He punched her in the belly, and viciously twisted her nipples as Gorb raped her. He pulled at the nipples and yanked them, as if he wanted them to come loose from her body. Xen was so far removed she did not even feel it. She felt like her body was going to return to the darkness. She felt like the link between her and this world would be severed. Then she distantly heard the sound of a dagger being unsheathed. Nogrod handed the dagger to the rapist between her legs, and then she briefly heard Nogrod speak, "Here is your punishment, you filthy slut"_

_Her skin screamed as it was split with the sharp knife. Gorb took the knife and carved underneath her breasts, like he was going to sever them from her small body. He went slowly, savoring each drop of blood that came out of the growing wound. Then Nogrod kneeled down and put his foul mouth next to her ear._

_"I will have him take your breasts, you nasty fuck. If you do not make it worth Gorb's while, he will take these off your body. Even if you do survive this ordeal, no one will want you then," Xen heard him say. She swam back to the top of her sinking conciousness._

_"Nooooo!" Xen screamed at the top of her lungs. Gorb went faster as she screamed, and finally he found release in her terror. Xen went limp again as the two dwarves left her in her cell and locked the door. Blood poured out from underneath her breasts, and she was bruised and bleeding from between her legs. She made no move to clean up either area. For the first time since she had become catatonic she spoke, "Please, by the goddess, let me die"_

Damien heard a loud scream from Xen's room. He bolted out and down the hallway, not bothering to knock. His pajama pants fluttered slightly in the breeze that came from her open window. Xen was thrashing on the bed, her nude body tangled in the light covers. He was not looking at her body just then, but at the sweat on her skin, and the screams of horror that rocked her body. Lavina ran in behind him.

"Lavina, leave!" Damien shouted at the maid. She quickly departed. Damien ran over to the bed, and tried to think quickly. He did not want to touch her when she was so obviously having a night terror, so he went for the water. The pitcher held enough water for the job. He did not want to be cruel, but he did not want her mistaking him for whatever was terrorizing her in her dream. He closed his eyes and threw the cold water on the little dryad.

"Ahhhhhhcccccckkkk!" Xen screamed, and sat up straight in bed, her hair limp with sweat and water, her breath coming out in ragged pants.

Damien walked quickly to the bed and picked up the little dryad, "Are you all right?"

Xen's eyes fluttered closed with a little bit of shock, "What happened? Why are you here? Why am I totally wet?"

"I heard you screaming. You were having a night terror. I splashed water on you so you did not mistake me for a part of the terror," Damien told her as he sat down in a comfy chair. He formed a crystal and threw it at the bed, drying all the sheets on it. Another crystal dried the queen, and clothed her in a white nightgown that went down to her knees. She was definitely more comfortable now, "Do you want to tell me what it was about?"

Xen looked decidedly uncomfortable, "Did your mom or dad ever tell you how I came to be in your castle when you were a babe?"

"The only thing they told us was that you had been in the dungeon, and that you had been abandoned there. You were in pretty bad shape, from what I can recall. You one day called me a 'pretty baby'," Damien told her.

"They did not tell you all, not by half," Xen told him. She wiggled out of his arms, and he set her down on the ground. She made her way to the balcony. Damien used a crystal to create a cup of tea, and Xen gratefully accepted it. She stared out the window. Damien listened, grateful for an explanation as to her screaming, and grateful for an explanation of all the scars he had just seen while holding her naked body. She took a breath, and began.

"I was pretty high up in Xandra's dryad portion of the army. But I have always had a problem with keeping my mouth shut, as you may have seen, " she darted a small smile at Damien, "but one day I got caught. I did not want to go to the Goblin Kingdom. I did not want to ally with Nogrod. I hated the dwarf. I knew he would more than likely turn on us as soon as the opportunity arose. One day, word got back to Xandra as to my treasonous words. She threw me in the dungeon, and forgot about me. Much like one of King Jareth's oubliette's. Xandra wanted everyone to forget about me. But Nogrod and his dwarves became very fond of the dungeons. My dungeon in particular. There were a few other dryads, and maybe a sprite or two, but they gave out before I did. I would not die. Not matter what they did to me, " Xen put her teacup down and took off the white nightgown. She threw it onto the bed. Damien politely averted his eyes.

Xen stepped over to him, and stood in front of him. He could smell her, she was so close.

"No, don't turn your head. You need to know. I am not ashamed of my form, only of the scars on its surface," Xen waited for him to turn his head and look at her. She squatted a little until they were eye to eye. She pointed to her right eyebrow, "This one was the first one I got. A dwarf gave me that when I would not call him master. He punched me and gave me a black eye. My eyebrow split," she pointed at her left arm, "This one was given to me when I told a dwarf I wanted to die. He felt that he would help me along by slitting my arm. He was stupid. He did not know where to slit the wrist. That one was severely infected when I was rescued, " Xen grabbed Damien's hands and put them directly beneath her small breasts. He could feel the puckering skin where there were scars, "The nightmare I was having tonight was of the time where Nogrod held me down while a dwarf named Gorb raped me very violently. Gorb carved underneath my breasts so I would scream for him. He wanted my terror. It was an aphrodisiac to him. I am lucky I did not get necrosis from those cuts, " Xen pointed her right foot so Damien could see the scar on the inside of her right thigh, "This one was given to me by an unnamed dwarf. I would not spread my legs for him, so he took his dagger and cut my thigh. While cutting me, he threatened me with a special kind of castration if I did not spread my legs for him. And I did. Instead of accepting my fate and letting them massacre my body even more, I gave it to them. I let them rape me. I let them do it. I could have prevented it. The price would have been my beauty, my sexuality, but I let them take what they had not earned. I let them take me," Xen started to cry, and she collapsed to her knees, "For the rest of my life my body will belong to Nogrod. I feel like he will always possess it. I had hoped one day that someone would come along that was strong enough to erase that. Someone who could show me the pleasure of it all, but also let me know that my body is his. In a good way. I do not even know if that is possible"

Damien picked the dryad up off the floor and held her close. He used magic to place the cotton nightgown on her small body once again, and then he placed her on her big bed. He climbed in beside her, and gathered her in his arms. She was exhausted, he could tell. But he would not let her sleep alone when she might have this dream again. He gestured, and the covers came up over them.

"Go to sleep Xen," Damien told the little queen. The only response was a light snore. Damien let out a small chuckle and then settled himself in the bed. He inhaled her scent and felt it lull him to sleep.


	22. Damien Chapter 9

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. A note – the phrase "Aer glint an-uir navaer" is Sindarin Elvish. It literally, word for word, translates to: "Holy Crystal Forever Farewell". I kind of mean it to say, "Sacred Crystal of the Forever Farewell". So, just so you know.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 9

The birds chirping finally woke Xen up. A male arm was thrown over her left side, and the body attached to the arm was snuggled up against her small body. She snuggled in closer, grazing Damien's midsection with her backside. His nose and mouth were flush against her small neck. It felt good, having him in her bed. She felt warm, safe, and loved.

_Loved? When did love ever come into play here?_

Xen rolled over and looked at Damien's closed eyes. His lashes were long, and dusted with gold at the tips. He was so exotic looking. So beautiful. They were chest to chest, leg to leg. She was infinitely shorter than he, but it still seemed like a perfect fit. He moved slightly, and his leg shifted so that it was between her legs. Xen stifled a gasp at the close contact. Then she resumed her study of his royal face. A small scar sat on his left temple. She wondered how he got it. She took her index finger and traced a line from the scar at his temple down his jaw line. She traced his lips, and then let the finger fall. She felt her face get closer, until she could feel his breath on her lips. Just one kiss. She just needed one kiss.

_Yeah, right. You are kidding yourself if all you want is one kiss,_ Xen thought. But before she knew it, she had brushed his lips with her, in a gentle caress. She did it again, letting her lips linger against his. On the third time she felt his arms tighten around her, just a little, and his lips returned her kiss, warming and tingling her. The kiss deepened a little, with the lips staying in contact longer, and the touch becoming a little more insistent.

Damien heard a little purr come from Xen's throat as he stroked her back with his nails, and he took that as his cue to run his tongue along her soft lips. She opened her mouth, and Damien slipped his tongue into her. He sought out her shy tongue, and began to stroke it with his own, coaxing her, pulling at her.

Xen moaned as he stroked her mouth with his tongue, creating an unfamiliar feeling between her thighs. Arousal. She was feeling desire. He was setting her on fire. She wanted him. And he wanted her, judging by the hardness she felt between his legs.

Damien felt himself grow hard, and he immediately had second thoughts about what he was about to do. She would need to come to him, he would not take her when she was this vulnerable. It would need to be when she came to him. She slowed their kisses down, and removed himself from her.

"What?" Xen asked him, slightly panting.

"Meet me outside in ten minutes little one. We have sword practice this morning," Damien told her as he walked out of the room.

"Grr!" Xen growled as she flopped down on her bed.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

They had been sparring for a while when Xen finally called a halt to their practice.

"We have business to take care of. Come with me," Xen told the prince. Damien followed Xen to the back side of the humongous tree that was her palace. She pressed a knot on a medium sized tree and a small door opened on the tree. The stairway spiraled down.

"Where are we?" Damien asked even though he was fairly sure he knew.

"The dungeons," Xen told him, "I have not been in here since Jareth rescued me"

Damien grabbed Xen's arm at her bicep, "We do not have to go down here"

"Yes I do," Xen shook her arm loose and continued down the stairs, "If I am ever going to be rid of it all, I have to destroy these dungeons, destroy this place. The walls talk, the walls hold the memories. If the walls disappear, maybe the nightmares will too"

_That is not true. The memories are in her head and in her heart. Only time and effort would ever make the terror go away. She needs to understand that those experiences made her who she is. Would I be here if she had not gone through what she had gone through? Would I feel the way I do for her? What a horrible thought. She would be dead had she not been left behind in the dungeons. Mom would have killed her when she killed all the other dryads that went to war. I do not envy her pain, but I am glad for once that she has an unstoppable mouth. For once I am glad she couldn't shut up,_ Damien thought.

The dungeons still smelled of feces and urine after all these years. Spiders, bugs, and rodents made this their home. Xen walked right towards a cell hardly big enough for a normal Fae, and knew by the way the straw was arranged and by the look in Xen's eyes that this had been her cell. A solitary tear trickled down her face as she stared at it. She placed her hands on the iron bars, and let them slightly burn her. Damien grabbed her arms and moved her away.

"They had no right. Your queen was cruel and unjust," Damien told her. They returned above. Damien's magic would not work so close to all that iron. When they got above the dungeons again, Damien used magic to collapse the whole area where the dungeons were. The ground fell in, creating a pit. Damien concentrated, and dirt fell from the sky to fill the hole. His face was sweating, and his fists were clenched. When the hole was filled he fell to his knees. It had taken a lot of effort.

"Where did all that dirt come from?" Xen asked him, the awe evident in her voice.

"A little from all over your kingdom. Now for the finishing touch," Damien rose and walked to what used to be the entrance. He concentrated and said four words, "Aer glint an-uir navaer"

A film of crystal appeared on the tree, encircling the trunk and forever blocking the door. Damien sat on the ground, panting from the effort.

"Phoenix is much more powerful than I am. I doubt this would have even winded her," Damien said.

Xen sat down next to him, "Thank you"

"No one will ever be able to break that spell, except maybe Phoenix," Damien said weakly.

Xdrea and Lavina appeared.

"Help His Highness to his room," Xen told them. Lavina used a bit of her small magic to help him walk to his room.

Xen went to go see to the preparation of the mating ritual, and tried to make herself not think of him. But by the time she slipped into the bathtub at the end of the day, she knew she had not succeeded. Her hands slipped below the water and she found the first bliss she had been privy to since she became queen. Her voice let go of a soft gasp as she shuddered with completion. After she had gotten out of the tub and slipped on a rare nightgown, she went down the hall and opened Damien's door. His eyes opened slightly as she entered his room.

"Shh. I just do not think I can sleep alone," Xen said softly as she got under the covers with the prince. She placed her head on his chest and intertwined her legs with his. Not long after, she fell asleep. And the dreams plagued her no more.


	23. Damien Chapter 10

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. The invocation given below is taken from a version of "The Great Rite Invocation" by Stewart and Janet Farrar. There are adult situations in this chapter.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 10

The drink simmered in the large wooden tub, situated in the middle of the clearing. The heat came from some magically unseen source. The sun was setting behind the trees, casting the clearing and palace in shadows. The mixture had turned pink this morning, a sure sign it was ready to be consumed. A small number of nymphs, sprites, and dryads had all lent a hand in preparing and watching the potion over the last couple of days. It would taste like sweet fruits when they drink it.

Damien did not want to drink it. He would accept a glass of it, but he would find some poor, unsuspecting plant to pour it on. He definitely wanted his wits about him, especially after this morning, when he woke up to find one very small dryad ass grinding into his midsection, massaging his evident erection. That dryad turned him on so much he no longer knew what to do. He wanted her. Badly. But what did that make him? If she had been whole and pure, would he want her as bad? Did the darkest parts of him want her underneath of him simply for the pleasure, or did he want her for other reasons?

Those other reasons were bothering him too. He cared about her. They had spent every night since that first night back sleeping in the same bed. Every morning he awoke to find her resting peacefully in his arms. And every morning, he felt himself growing more and more used to the idea of waking up every morning with her there. Soon the bed would feel utterly empty without her. He was kidding himself if he thought he did not already feel that way. She made him smile like no one else could. She made him laugh, which was almost impossible. She made him feel like…like…

_Loved. She makes me feel loved._

Damien stopped in his tracks and stared into the sky.

_I love her. That capricious, impudent, little dryad. Sneaky little thing wormed her way in. _

Damien shook his head and joined Xen by the potion area. She looked at him and smiled.

"All ready then?" Damien asked her.

"Yes. See? Here they come," Xen brushed off her tunic and pointed to the small crowds of dryads, sprites, and nymphs that were beginning to come into the clearing. They all wore very little, some were even already nude. Damien was not surprised. All of Xen's subjects would rather be nude than wear clothing. He supposed it brought them closer to nature. Xen moved away from him and towards the middle of a circle of rocks that would serve as the magic circle for the ritual. Her subjects eyed her with a combination of wariness and respect. They respected her, but were still a little wary of their queen.

"Tonight we have gathered to partake in an old ritual designed to bring young ones to our kingdom. The war left our kingdom devastated, and we are deeply concerned. So, we will all drink from the ritual potion, and then the males and the females will dance the mating dance," Xen moved to the middle of the circle, and lit a huge bonfire in the middle of it, "The trees know of our bonfire, and approve for the purpose of saving the rest of their kind. Our kingdom is dying. Without young ones, we will not survive many more years. So all of you, drink, then we will open the ritual"

The queen moved the wooden tub and took a cupful of the potion, being served by Lavina. Then she handed a cupful to Damien, who had stepped forward to accept it. The queen closed her eyes and drank deeply, at which time Damien took the opportunity to water the nearest bush with the potion. No one had seen him, for they were too busy drinking of their own cups. One by one they dropped the cups and moved to the circle. Damien sat down on a larger rock and watched Xen move to the middle, nearest to the fire. She unlaced her tunic and shucked it outside the circle. One by one, each subject followed until they were all naked. Xen raised her arms above her head and began to speak in her sweet voice:

"**Assist me to erect the ancient altar**

**At which in days past all worshipped**

**The great altar of all things**

**For in times of old, female was the altar**

**Thus was the altar made and placed**

**And the sacred place was the point within the center of the circle**

**As we have of old been taught**

**That the point within the center is the origin of all things**

**Therefore should we adore it**

**Therefore whom we adore we also invoke**

**O circle of stars**

**Whereof our Lord is but the younger brother**

**Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space**

**Before whom time is ashamed**

**The mind bewildered, and the understanding dark**

**Not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be love**

**Therefore by seed and root, and stem and bud**

**And leaf and flower and fruit, do we invoke thee**

**O Queen of Space, O Jewel of Light**

**Continuous One of the Heavens**

**Let it be ever thus**

**That male speak not of thee as One, but as None**

**And let them not speak of thee at all**

**Since thou art continuous**

**For thou art the point within the Circle, which we adore**

**The point of life without which we would not be**

**And in this way truly are erected the holy pillars**

**In beauty and in strength were they erected**

**To the wonder and glory of all **

**Altar of mysteries manifold, the sacred circle's secret point**

**Thus do I sign thee as old, with kisses of my lips anoint**

**Open for me the secret way, the pathway of intelligence**

**Beyond the gates of night and day, beyond the bounds of time and sense**

**Beyond the mysteries aright, the five true points of fellowship**

**Here where the Lance and Grail unite**

**And feet, and knees, and breast, and lip."**

Xen lowered her arms and two old sprites began to play some old drums. Xen began to move first, swaying left and right. She let down her hair, the reddish gold curls shining brightly by the light of the fire. She crossed her legs and spun, and then clapped her hands above her head. Her breasts were shiny with sweat, and her eyes were brighter than usual. She started to move around the bonfire, crossing her legs over and over, spinning with her arms straight out. After one pass, the others joined her. They all joined hands and moved together for a few rotations, dancing faster and faster as the potion took effect. Then they broke apart, and danced individually. Damien had been holding his breath without even realizing it. Males and females started to move closer, eyeing each other speculatively and with desire in their eyes. Xen was still dancing by herself, and her hands moved over her body, not feeling the scars, but feeling the softness and the heat. Her hair had grown damp with the sweat, and her skin was flickering with the fire light. She looked as if she was trying to hold something off, she looked as if she was fighting with something inside herself, and she continued to dance while her subjects melted off in pairs, some not making it out of the circle, but mating right there by the fire.

When there was no one left, not even Lavina, Xen finally opened her eyes, and looked straight at _Damien._

_Damien,_ Xen thought with a low growl. He had not danced, but he had drunk the potion. As their eyes met she saw the desire in his eyes. The lust. The other things in his eyes had questions attached that she did not want to ask yet. All she knew was that she needed him. She wanted him and she needed him. She needed him inside her, needed him to mark her. She needed him to make her forget the pain. He would bring her pleasure. He would never hurt her that way. She walked purposefully towards him, and he stood. She put her slick hands on his chest and pushed Damien back down onto the rock he had been perched on.

Damien stared at her, and she only stared back for a minute before straddling his lap. His erection was growing in his breeches.

"I have wanted you since you first came here. I need you. I need you to forget. I need you to help me forget. I need you to fill me, mark me, make me yours. I choose you, Damien," Xen told him as she moved her hips. Damien groaned and grabbed her hair, not able to resist anymore. He slammed his lips onto hers, and kissed her roughly. She kissed him right back, slipping her soft tongue into his mouth. He bit her lower lip, and then moved his mouth down to her hot throat. He sucked on her skin until he found the exact right place. It was where her shoulder met her neck. The vein pulsed below the skin, and he bit down. The skin broke and Xen gasped in pain. Damien sucked the blood from her vein in a series of very small swallows, not wanting her to lose too much. He healed the wound partially with a whispered incantation. He wanted it to scar, wanted a mark of his on her. She wanted to belong to him, and now she always would, in some way.

When her skin had broke, Xen had gasped. As he sipped from her vein, she felt her heartbeat slow a little. The thought of her blood in his mouth filled her with an unknown lust. She was on fire in so many ways. When his mouth came up to meet hers, she tasted her own blood on his lips. She devoured his mouth as he held her. But she needed him now.

"Take off your clothes, Damien," Xen commanded. Damien blinked and they were gone. Xen pointed to a large tree nearby, "Over there"

Damien picked her up and carried her. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, but he would not allow her to impale herself on him yet.

"This is my tree," Xen said fondly, "Put me up against it"

"Why?"

"Just do it, trust me"

Damien was not one to argue. He braced her up against the trunk of the tree and kissed her again, more lovingly, but just as urgently. He moved his hips so he was aligned with Xen's tunnel, and then he entered her with one sharp, quick, thrust. Xen moaned and clung to him as he began to move. He was so big, and felt so good. She could hear her tree's approval in the back of her mind as he quickened his pace. She locked lips with him as he made love to her, bruising her mouth as her back was ground into the bark of the tree. Damien was kneading her ass as he held her there. Xen wanted to make this last, so she whispered into Damien's ear.

"Conjure a blanket," Xen commanded. One appeared almost as soon as she said that: a thick, dark blanket. Damien took that as his cue to remove her from the tree. He stepped back and went to lower Xen to the blanket.

"No, you lay down," Xen said. He knelt, still holding her on his rod, and then he laid down on the blanket. Xen began to move, riding him for all she was worth. It was sweet agony as she raked her nails down his chest and he lifted his hands to massage her breasts, pinching her dark nipples.

"Xen, god, Xen!" Damien cried hoarsely as she rode him. She could feel her climax start to build fast, a fire matching the one in the middle of the nearby circle. She moved her hips faster, and Damien was using his hips to match her own. Xen reached down and used a finger to tease the little pearl between her thighs, and soon felt herself tighten. She started to buck furiously, and felt everything explode. She could not hear or see anything. She could only feel pleasure. And as she came down she saw that Damien was about to experience the same thing. Xen pulled Damien up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Move with me," she whispered. And he did, rocking with her as she ground herself into him. He started to tense, and she knew he was not far away.

"I love you Damien," Xen breathed into his ear. This sent Damien over the edge, and he threw his head back as Xen felt him release into her. Her tree spoke to her in her mind just then.

"**_Congratulations, Queen of the Trees. The Goblin Prince hath seeded thee. Many more were conceived this night. You hath succeeded in your effort"_**

Xen passed out after she heard these words, collapsing against her love, and the father of her first child.


	24. Damien Chapter 11

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 11

When Xen awoke she was in her own bed. Alone. She frowned, trying to recall how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was her tree telling her she had conceived. She smiled, and placed a hand on her midsection. There was life there now, a tiny life. She did not know how long she would be pregnant. Fae pregnancies only last four months. A dryad's last for about six months. She pulled a cord and Lavina came into the room. The sprites face was relaxed and blissful, a sure sign she had enjoyed the previous night's festivities as well.

"Lavina, send for a midwife. Send for Queen Sarah's midwife actually," Xen told her maid. Lavina looked at her queen slyly.

"Who's the father of your heir, Your Majesty?" Lavina asked.

"Prince Damien," Xen told her maid. There was no need to be ashamed of it, "Can you tell me where His Highness is this morning?"

"Afternoon," Lavina informed her, "And His Highness left this morning"

Xen felt dismayed, "Where did he go?"

"He said something about being no better than a something or other. I could not really hear him Your Majesty. He saddled that horse of his and took off due East. I think he went home," Lavina told her.

"Pack a bag for me. It will take me a week to get there. And summon Xdrea. I do not want to travel alone with the babe," Xen told her maid.

"Where are you going?" Lavina asked, concerned.

"After him. He does not even know he is going to be a father. Knowing him he had some damned fool reason for leaving and is being an idiot. I am going to go after him. But first, I need something to write on. It is time for me to revoke that stupid law," Xen stamped her foot and started to dress.

"What stupid law?" Lavina asked as she rummaged around for a quill and some parchment.

"The law that says I cannot marry. I am going to marry him. I love him," Xen said as she laced up a fresh tunic.

Lavina chuckled as she handed her queen a piece of parchment and a quill.

Xen spent a few minutes writing down the new law that would repeal the old law, and then used her seal to sign it. She handed it to Lavina.

"Go post this at the bottom of the palace. By my royal decree, the Queen of the Trees is now allowed to marry whomever she wants," Xen smiled as she handed the parchment to her maid. Lavina rushed out of the room.

_Why did he leave? Stupid, snarly male. _

Lavina came back up, winded from running, and finished packing a bag for Xen. Xen scribbled a note on some paper and carried it to her balcony. She whistled, and a bird flew to the railing.

"Take this note to Queen Sarah of the Goblin Kingdom as fast as you can," Xen told the little bird. She tied the note to the bird's leg, and it took off, flying at a brisk pace. With any luck someone would meet her at the border between their lands so she could get through quickly. Maybe it would only take four days instead of a week that way.

It was only an hour later that Xen took off on foot. She headed East, towards the Goblin Kingdom and whatever awaited her there.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was almost time for bed when Damien stopped his horse in front of the castle. A stable hand came to take Dante from him with a slightly fearful look in his eyes. Damien stalked into the castle and was met by Agee, his mother's maid.

"Your Highness!" Agee curtsied, "You were not expected back so soon!"

"Please have a meal sent to my rooms as soon as possible, Agee. Tell everyone I wish not to be disturbed," Damien said as he almost ran up the stairs.

Agee ran immediately to the dining room, where the rest of the family was enjoying their dinner. She ran to the chair Queen Sarah was sitting in, and curtsied.

"What is it, Agee?" Sarah asked her maid, although she thought she knew what was going on.

"Prince Damien has returned just now, Your Majesties. He asks for a meal in his room and to not be disturbed," Agee reported, curtsying again.

"Well, I have to nurse Ophelia very soon," Sarah said, having given birth to Ophelia only a couple of days before, "But then I can go and find out what's wrong. Go ahead and send him some food, Agee. I will give him time to bathe and to collect his thoughts before I go bug him"

Jareth let out a chuckle, "You never could leave well enough alone, could you?"

"Not when it comes to the people I love," Sarah smirked.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Damien heard a knock on his door as he was getting ready to climb into his own bed.

"Go away!" Damien yelled. He punched his pillow in frustration.

"Don't you want to meet your little sister?" Sarah asked plaintively through the door. Little Ophelia was peaceful in her arms, with her dark hair and green eyes. She looked exactly like her mother.

"Damn!" Damien cursed. He had forgotten his mother's pregnancy. She had been only a week away from her due date when he had taken Xen back to her kingdom. He could not refuse to see his littlest sister. He walked over and opened the door to admit them. Sarah swept into the room, wearing blue pajamas and the most absurd looking slippers. They were big and fuzzy. And they were a shocking color of pink, "What are those?"

"Slippers. I conjured them myself. I had a pair when I was Aboveground," Sarah told him.

"I wish I could see a bit of how you lived before you came here," Damien told her.

"Be careful what you wish for, Damien. So, why are you home?"

Damien knew she was going to ask, "I just decided to come home is all. I got tired of that talkative little dryad," Damien sat down and took the infant from his mother. Ophelia looked into his eyes as he held her, and he felt content. He liked babies.

"Yeah right. Damien, I am not stupid. Something happened, didn't it? She told us you may participate in the mating ritual. Did you?" Sarah asked him as she stood in front of him.

"Xen told you that, did she? Oh, I participated. I did not drink the drink they brewed, but I did mate. With her. With Xen," Damien looked down at his baby sister and wondered if he has seeded Xen. That was what she had wanted right? His bloodline?

"Why didn't you stay with her then?" Sarah asked her son.

"I took advantage of her. That poor girl, everything she has been through, everything that was done to her. When she was intoxicated…I took her. I may have even gotten her pregnant. That was her goal in the first place I guess. Then she told me she loved me. Right before she passed out she told me that. Do you know what they did to her?" Damien asked his mom softly.

"They did the foulest things anyone could ever do. They raped her, tortured her, beat her. If she conceived she will be happier than a pig in mud, Damien. She came very close to not being able to bear children, you know," Sarah told Damien.

"And I just took advantage of her," Damien swore he would not cry, but his voice became hoarse, betraying his sadness.

"She chose you, Damien. That potion does not make it to where the drinker does not know whom they are choosing. She could have had anyone, but she wanted you. Why can't you accept that?" Sarah asked, feeling sad.

"Why would she want me?"

"Oh, Damien," Sarah sighed, finally realizing the problem, "That's the real reason. You do not know how anyone could love you. Look, you are only 18. It takes time for this to sink in. We all love you"

"I know," Damien said.

"Damien, the light cannot exist without the dark. Passion cannot exist without reason. All three of you have different qualities. I have told you this before. Phoenix represents passion. Eamon represents light. You represent darkness. You are all three different extremes. But that does not mean that you do not have a little of each other's qualities within you. Phoenix has a bit of darkness and light. Eamon has a bit of darkness and passion. And you, my son, have a little of passion and of light. The dark cannot exist without the light. They are two sides of the same coin. You could not love Xen without being able to feel some light, and you could not have made love to her like you did without some passion. But darkness is what led you to her. Darkness is not all bad. You can sense the ones who need you most. Their pain draws you to them. She needs you," Sarah told Damien.

"I never said I loved her," Damien narrowed his eyes as he handed his little sister back to his mother.

"Oh please. So obvious," Sarah smiled as she held Ophelia over her shoulder. She turned to go, "How many days did it take to get here this time?"

"Without her, only two," Damien said. Sarah walked to her room, dropping off Ophelia in the nursery.

"Message for you, my love," Jareth said, holding out a small roll of parchment.

"I think I know whom this is from," Sarah said as she unfurled the parchment and read the letter:

_"Queen Sarah – Hope this finds you well. Your errant son has left my kingdom, as I am sure you are aware by now. I want you to know I did not want him to leave, and I am coming to fetch him. By the way, I repealed the law saying that the Queen of the Trees cannot marry. What a silly little law that was. Please send someone to meet me inside your western border. I am just traveling with Xdrea, and I really should have an escort in my "condition". See you soon! – Queen Xen"_

Sarah laughed as loud as she could and handed the letter to Jareth. Jareth scanned it and then joined her in her laughter. Jareth grabbed his queen and danced her around the room in a quick waltz.

"Grandparents, Jareth. We are going to be grandparents," Sarah gasped as she hugged him around the waist.

"Ah, the years wear on, don't they my love?" Jareth sighed as he kissed the top of her head.

"I don't know about you, but I still feel as young as I ever did," Sarah said, and she smirked at her husband.

"Care to make a wager?" Jareth asked Sarah.

"No, no wagers," Sarah said as she sent a crystal to Aidan to meet Xen and Xdrea. She grabbed Jareth's hand and led him to their bed.

"What a pity," Jareth gasped as his wife pulled him down onto the bed.

a/n: I personally love my grown up and married sarah and jareth. I think that, over the years my story spans, they have tempered each other. He has given her sarcasm and wit she has given him a little softer edge and a little whimiscality. I do not want to give anything away, but by the time the epilogue is over for this story, it will have been been 30 years since Sarah ran the Labyrinth. I worked it out in a timeline. Also, it is noteworthy that I have worked up a family tree and said timeline. When the story is fully over (all three parts plus the epilogue) then I will be willing to email any of you the timeline and the family tree. You can look on my profile for my email address. But not before then….it will all be spoiled if you read it before then.


	25. Damien Chapter 12

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth.

_**Part Two: Damien**_

Chapter 12

The small camp was quiet as Aidan rode up. Two small figures were asleep in their blankets. He dismounted and walked up to them. There was a fast commotion, and Aidan found a sword and a bow and arrow pointed directly at him. The blade was poised to strike at his throat, and the arrow would find his heart if fired.

"Whoa! Whoa! Your Majesty! It's Aidan! Queen Sarah's stablehand!" Aidan panicked a little. The sword eased away from his throat, and the bow was lowered.

"Aidan! Warn us next time!" Xen yelled.

"Hopefully there will not be a next time Your Majesty," Aidan bowed, "I am here to escort you to the castle"

"Well, we won't get any more sleep tonight. How far away are we?" Xen asked.

"You actually made pretty good time. We are only about eight hours away," Aidan told her.

"Good. Let's go," Xen told him. She started to walk as soon as her blankets were rolled up and the fire was extinguished.

"Um, Your Majesty, I can carry you and your friend on Hanyou," Aidan told her.

"Oh. Okay," Xen said.

After ten minutes of situating they took off. With any luck they would be in the castle by mid morning.

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Damien sat in the audience room with his mother and father, listening to a representative from the Ice Lands drone on about some kind of treaty. He was not really listening, merely drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. He was wearing black from head to toe. His boots, his pants, his shirt, his waistcoat, and his cape were all black. His hair was back, and he looked sullen. Or lovesick. Phoenix could not tell which.

_He misses her,_ Phoenix thought to herself, _And he is going to be miserable for the rest of his life. I was lucky enough to find Aidan. Damien was lucky enough to find Xen. But damned if he is not just like Dad. Not exactly good with the words. He doesn't know what to do with a flighty little dryad that has captured his heart._

Phoenix was about to ask her brother to go with her for a walk when there was a commotion in the entryway.

_Ah, she has come for him,_ Phoenix laughed to herself.

And there she was. Queen Xen strode into the audience chamber and stood there, looking furious.

"Um, Her Majesty, the Queen of the Trees?" said the goblin, uncertain of what he was supposed to do. Xen ran down the small stairs and stopped directly in front of Jareth and Sarah.

"I demand the life of your son, Damien!" Xen said angrily.

"What?" Eamon yelped. Phoenix made a motion with her hand, and her older brother sat down abruptly and kept his mouth shut. Sarah and Jareth looked at her speculatively, while Damien kept his head down, staring at his feet in sadness and shame.

"Why do you demand the life of the second in line for the throne?" Jareth asked sounding bored.

"Because he took something of mine, and that's wrong," Xen said softly as she approached the prince dressed all in black.

"Was it something you valued?" Sarah asked in the same tone.

"Beyond measure," Xen said, stopping right in front of Damien.

"Then, by all means, take him," Jareth told the queen. Eamon looked ready to pop, but Phoenix held him in place.

Xen got down on her knees in front of the prince, and lifted his chin so his eyes met hers.

"How dare you leave me like that? After what I gave you freely, you leave me like that, ripping my heart out in the process? Didn't you care?" Xen asked the prince.

"All I did was care. After what they did to you…" Damien could hardly speak his voice was so thick.

"I chose you. Not anyone else. I gave myself to you. I gave my heart to you. I told you I loved you, and you left me there. I would still choose you. Over and over again," Xen told him.

"But…"

"Your king and queen have given your life to me. You belong to me now. What I want to know is, will you share my life with me?" Xen asked, her voice strong and sure.

"You can't marry," Damien protested.

"Dear boy, I repealed that law the day you left. I want to be married to my baby's father," Xen told him.

"Baby…"

"Or babies, I don't know yet," Xen told him. Sarah got up and came over to Xen. She laid her hand on Xen's belly.

"Baby," Sarah said with surety, and walked back to her throne.

Phoenix could see the tears come down Damien's cheeks, and felt herself tearing up.

"You want to marry me?" Damien asked.

Xen nodded. Phoenix waved her hand and a green velvet box popped into existence in between Damien and Xen. Damien grabbed it and opened it. Inside was a small golden ring that looked like a circle of leaves. The leaves sparkled with emeralds, diamond, and ebony stones. He turned the box around so Xen could see it. Xen cried, and Damien picked her up so she could sit in his lap. Phoenix knew they had forgotten all about them, so she waved her hand and sent the two to Damien's room.

"Well, that's that. Another wedding to plan," Sarah smiled. There was a muffled whine and a rocking sound on the other end of them room. Eamon looked like he was going to burst, and Phoenix let go the bind she had placed on him.

"What was that about?" Eamon yelled.

"Boy meets girls, boy and girl fall in love, boy gets girl pregnant and runs. Girl comes after boy, makes him agree to marry her," Phoenix said slowly, as if she was speaking to a child. By the time she was finished Eamon stood directly in front of her. He reached out and started to tickle her. A bubble floated into the room, and popped in Jareth's hand. A note appeared.

"_To Their Royal Majesties King Jareth and Queen Sarah – we hope this finds you well. We have written to inform you that Her Highness, Princess Cara of the Dragonlands, is expecting her first child in about four months time. Congratulate me! – Toby"_

Sarah screeched and jumped up and down. Phoenix did the same. And Eamon just sat there, looking dazed. Jareth smiled.

"What now?" Eamon asked wearily.

"Well, now Phoenix will have to be married in six months. Damien's wedding will take place in two months. Sheesh, Eamon, will when you join the crowd? It's all the rage to get married these days!" Sarah teased her son.

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Two months later everyone gathered in the clearing below the Tree Palace. The midwife had said that Xen would give birth in four months time instead of six, due to the father being Fae. She was already pretty large with child, a mound evident on her small body. She walked up the aisle with Damien, who was dressed all in black. Xen herself wore a gown of light green crepe, with a chiffon overlay. It had thin straps and was empire-waisted. Tiny seed pearls and crystals adorned the dress, and the train was sheer and long. Her curly hair had been arranged so that it flowed neatly down her back, with the sides caught up with unseen hair combs. Her formal crown rested on her head. Damien wore the crown of his station as a goblin prince. They stopped in front of the High Lord and knelt on the grass (which was quite a feat for the pregnant queen).

"We have gathered here in a ritual of love. Long has the Queen of the Trees refused to marry, choosing to instead wed herself to her forest. This queen has chosen to change the course of history, and has decided to wed the one she loves. Damien and Xen have decided to write their own vows. So we may now listen as they pledge themselves to the Lord, the Lady, and each other," the high Lord took a step back. Damien and Xen stood and faced one another, holding hands and looking deeply into each other's eyes.

"O Lord, Answers to all mysteries and yet mysteries unanswered; In this place of power I ask of you this: As I breathe your energies into my body, mixing them with mine that I may see the divine in all, O Lord grant me the hand of he whom I seek... Allow me Lord to take my place as his soul mate, and to care for him as my own. Allow me the heart that beats strongly within his chest. Allow me to accept his love," Xen finished.

"O Lady to us all, answers to all mysteries and yet mysteries unanswered;  In this place of power I ask of you this: As I breathe your energies into my body, mixing them with mine that I may see the divine in all,  O Lady grant me the hand of she whom I seek... Allow me Lady to take my place as her soul mate, and to care for her as my own. Allow me the heart that beats strongly within her chest.  Allow me to accept her love," Damien stated.

"I do love you, let it be known to all those present that I was once half and together we are one. Let it be known that without you I am nothing yet with you I hold infinite potential," they said together. Sniffles could be heard from the crowd as they spoke, and tears shone in their own eyes as well.

"Do you accept me into your heart?" Damien asked Xen.

"With the Lady as my guide and witness, I do," Xen said, "Do you accept me into your heart?"

"With the Lord as my guide and witness, I do"

"Oh Lord and Lady, smile upon us as we begin this journey into your arms. Help us to love, honor and respect one another," they said together as they slipped rings onto each other's fingers, "As the circle has no end, let our love be as infinite"

The High Lord stepped forward and placed his hands over their joined ones, "I now have the pleasure of presenting to you, Queen Xen and Prince Consort Damien of the Tree Kingdom. You may kiss your bride, Your Highness," Damien grabbed his little wife and kissed her before setting her back down. Then he knelt before her.

"I crown you Prince Consort Damien of the Tree Kingdom. Swear you will help us defend our lands, and our thrones," Xen intoned.

"I swear, by all that I am, that I will help defend our lands and our thrones," Damien responded.

"Rise, Prince Consort, and take your place at my side," Xen told him. He did as he was told, and stood next to her. Music started up from an unknown source, and Damien took Xen's hand.

"Do you think you can learn to be quiet sometimes?" Damien asked his bride.

"Only if you can learn to talk sometimes," Xen teased.

Queen Sarah and King Jareth could only look on as their middle child danced with his new bride.

"We could mop the floor with those amateurs, Jareth," Sarah muttered.

"Piece of cake, my dear heart," Jareth said as he swept her up in his arms.

a/n: That's the end of the story of Damien and Xen. Part Three: Eamon is next. Eamon was once told, "Be careful what you wish for". He really should have heeded that advice, because he finds himself Aboveground without magic, and at the mercy of a beautiful witch named Rhiannon. Stay tuned!

a/n: Lady Orchid, I have tried to email you many times, but the email address on your profile seems to be invalid. If you could email me directly, I would love to be able to email you and thank you for your faithful reviews.


	26. Eamon Chapter 1

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. A picture of the statue Eamon finds can be found at this url: www (dot) runicmoonart (dot) com (slash) art (forward slash) erebus (dot) jpg. You know what to do with that. I hope. There is also a little sexual situation in this chapter that has some violent parts. Ye be warned.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 1

Eamon considered himself to be an honest Fae. He had told Princess Celinda that he was not really interested in making love to her, although she may be his only choice in the not so distant future. But she had chosen to take his rejection as a 'maybe', and had taken to cornering him all over her mother's castle.

Eamon had been sent here by his dad, the Goblin King. The Ice Lands were far north, and its queen was a good friend of his family. But she saw little of them, and little of anyone else really, so Eamon was sent for a state visit, just to keep her company and help her out in any way he could. But damn that Celinda, always chasing him. He had finally had enough and took his horse, Youkai, out for a well deserved ride in the fallen snow.

The ground was hard, as usual, and the trees had icicles hanging from their branches. Eamon loved the stark beauty of the ice and the snow. All white, and all seeming so pure. Yet, the snow could always hold surprises. And as he rode up to the strange statue he once again reaffirmed that statement. It was tall, and curious looking. The statue looked like many things. The feet were like large bird talons, and turned into the well-muscled legs of a man. His fingers looked like talons, but became the arms of a man. His muscles were well defined, and a small bird was perched on one clawed finger. The face was a jovial mask, like a theater performer, and the ears were pointed. His hair was long, and ended in what looked like little bells. The tail out the back looked long and strong. He looked like a funny fellow, but one that could appreciate a good joke. Eamon dismounted and stood in front of the statue.

"Oh, my fine friend, that princess will not let me be. I do not want to mate with some princess I hardly know. All these princesses seem insipid and only inspired by the fact that I will one day inherit all that my father and mother rule. If I lived Aboveground things would not be like this. Did you know my mother came from Aboveground? She did. She lived in upstate New York, wherever that is, or was. I sometimes get curious. I wonder what it is like there? No real magic, no real princes and princesses wandering around. Hmph," Eamon picked up some snow and made a snowball. He threw it at the statue, and then said words he had never even thought about saying before, "I wish I could see my mother's Aboveground home, and the world surrounding it"

A rush of wind went through the air, and then he was gone. Crown Prince Eamon of the Goblin Kingdom was gone.

The reliquary shuddered and broke open. The ashes within started to swirl until they coalesced into the form of Eamon. The imposter rolled his shoulders and stretched his legs.

"Be careful what you wish for, Eamon," Erebus said.

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Eamon fell to the ground with a loud thud. He gasped and opened his eyes, before him stood a white house with a large porch. He turned around and saw he was in the middle of a street (at least that was what he thought it was called). He quickly moved onto the lighter pavement in front of the house, and stopped in front of the gate. This was the house he had seen while in his mother's womb. The only difference was the cozy look the house had now, with a large amount of flowers and plants in the front yard, wrapping around the house.

"Be careful what you wish for, Eamon," he muttered to himself, "Now time to get yourself back, and get rid of that statue"

Eamon tried to form a crystal, and it did not work. He tried to take the form of an owl, no good. Eamon found himself trying to perform every spell and such that he knew, but to no avail.

_My magic is gone, I'm stuck here!_, Eamon realized.

"Are you going to come into the yard, or are you going to stand there gawking and looking insane for the rest of the day?" a sweet voice asked. Eamon looked around and finally found the source, a tall mortal woman. She was wearing these pants that covered her whole body, and had straps on the shoulder. She had some kind of pink top on underneath that also only covered her shoulders. Her feet were bare, and her pale blond hair (lighter than his!) was piled on top of her head in an effort to keep it off her neck. She had ice blue eyes, and pale skin. She was almost as tall as he was, and very slender. There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek, and a trowel was in her right hand. These flower print gloves covered her hands. She had obviously been working with the dirt.

"Stare much?" the woman said.

"I'm sorry. My apologies. My name is Eamon," Eamon bowed to her, and noticed his breeches were torn, probably from landing on the street.

"Unusual name. By your accent I would say you are not from around here. Well that, and the way you are dressed. My name is Rhiannon," the woman said as she approached the gate. She removed her gloves and held out her hand. Eamon took it in his own and kissed the back of it, "Where are you from?"

"Uh, um…" was all Eamon got out before he collapsed.

"Shit. Well, I guess I will have to take you inside. The goddess would not approve of me leaving you out here to die," Rhiannon grabbed his arms and started to drag him into her house, "Thank goddess you do not weigh all that much"

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Erebus used his magic, combined with the magic he stole from Eamon, to convince the horse that everything was okay. He rode back to the city in question. The life forces there were pulling at him. And as he reached the castle, a stablehand helped him with his horse. The stablehand was shocked when Eamon did not give him his customary thanks. Eamon never forgot to say thanks.

Erebus encountered no resistance on going in the castle. He was somewhat annoyed when a valet stopped him in the hallway.

"Your Highness, Princess Celinda has been looking for you," the valet told him with a bow.

"Where is she?" Erebus asked.

"In her private garden, Your Highness. She said you are welcome to join her," the valet told him.

"And which way is that?" Erebus asked irritably.

"Down the hall, left, and then second right. Her door is the third one on the left," the valet told him, surprised that Prince Eamon even needed to ask. He paid it no mind, and continued on with his next task. Erebus followed the fellow's directions, and ended up at a darkly colored door. He pushed it open. A small, pale maid dropped the vase she had been holding.

"Leave us," he told the maid, and she scurried out of the room. He walked out the open door and into a beautiful garden. A petite woman with silvery skin, white hair, and bright blue eyes sat on a bench in the corner, her eyes on a silver rose. She smiled as she saw him. She walked up to him and went to hug him.

"I missed you. Why have you been avoiding me?" the woman whined. She was soft, and Erebus had not been with a woman for so long.

"I have been trying to figure out how I feel about you. I now know that I need you," Erebus lied to the princess as he grabbed her. He pressed her against him. She squealed at the contact. Then he lowered his head down to hers. He kissed her roughly, and carried her back to her bedroom. He made their clothes disappear, and he threw her on the bed.

"You're my first, Eamon," she breathed, "I was hoping you would be"

Erebus kissed her again as his fingers found her nipples. He pinched them and pulled them, twisting them. Celinda moaned and gasped in pain alternatingly. Erebus reached down and found her ready for him.

"All ready for me, aren't you?" he asked cruelly. Then he got between her legs.

"Be gentle," Celinda warned.

"Never," Erebus said, and he thrust into her, breaking her maidenhead in one motion. Celinda shrieked in pain, with no time to savor the lovemaking, as Erebus was thrusting quickly. He bit down on her nipple, breaking the skin slightly. That hurt.

Celinda had thought it would be better than this, more gentle. Eamon had never been rough with anyone in his life, she knew that. But Eamon now was pounding into her, and he was not showing her any respect. He thrust into her one last time, and then he came, spurting his seed into her.

When he could breathe again, Erebus rose from the bed and dressed himself. Without a word he left, and Celinda cried herself to sleep, lying on blood soaked sheets.

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Erebus walked around until someone could tell him where his rooms were. They looked at him strangely, but told him anyways. He walked in to find a valet looking very strangely at him.

"Pack my things. I am going home," Erebus told the valet.

"But, Your Highness…" the valet began to speak.

"No buts. Now!" Erebus yelled. The valet ran around in a frenzy of packing and them summoned porters and a carriage.

Within one hours, Erebus was headed back to the Goblin Kindom in the form of Crown Prince Eamon, and no one was any the wiser.

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When Princess Celinda refused to open her door to come down for dinner, Queen Carla went to her daughter's room and opened the door by force. She wanted to cry when she saw the sight before her: her daughter was alive, but pale. Her eyes did not recognize anything but space, and the sheets were covered with blood.

"Get a healer!" she yelled out the door, and she ran to her daughter's bedside, "What happened to you?"

"Eamon came to my room. I wanted him to be my first. I thought he would be so kind, and so gentle. But he wasn't. He was mean, Mom!"

"Did he rape you?" Carla asked her daughter.

"Oh no. I wanted him. I never said no. I never thought no, not until near the end. But by then it did not matter Mom"

Carla wanted to cry, but instead she shouted, "Jareth and Sarah will hear about this!"


	27. Eamon Chapter 2

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 2

Rhiannon looked at the male lying on her bed. He was gorgeous, even dirty like he was. What would he look like clean? He was tall, with pale blond hair, just a little darker than her own. The streaks within it were black, and unusual. They were natural too. She had never seen anyone with that kind of hair. When his eyes had been opened she had noticed they were a lovely emerald green. He had high cheekbones and a cute nose. His lips were soft-looking, and a little thin. He was beautiful. He looked like nothing from this world. His clothing was unusual. He looked kind of like a fairy tale pirate. His boots, now standing in a corner, were made of fine black leather. His breeches were brown, and made of a soft material. The shirt he had been wearing was cream colored, and made of a nameless material. It laced up the front, but was unlaced until it showed an expanse of smooth chest. He had been wearing a fur lined cape. The finery had made her laugh. She wondered what he was.

Rhiannon walked out of her house and headed to the area where he had appeared. She did not kid herself by thinking he had come from some ren fair or a theater troop. She stood in that area and concentrated. The slight buzzing in her ear told her the truth of it.

"You can feel the crackling of magic here. You came from somewhere else my friend. Never can fool a witch," Rhiannon said. She headed back inside and walked upstairs. The male, he said his name was Eamon, was still passed out. Rhiannon lit her incense burner and carried it around the room, purifying the space. Then she lit candles and placed them around the bed. Then she sat down on the bed.

"By the Lord and the Lady, the God and the Goddess, I ask for your help in seeking this male's aura so that I may help him in whatever task he has been sent here to do," Rhiannon intoned, and then she closed her eyes. She breathed in and out, clearing her mind. She sunk into herself, achieving a higher consciousness. She saw her own familiar aura, the layers clear and free. She moved her head so that she could see the male's aura. It was black as night until a bright light flashed from his body in a rapid burst. Rhiannon pulled away and opened her eyes in amazement.

"Fuck! He's Fae!"

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Eamon blinked and slowly opened his eyes. There was soft music playing from a box on top of the dresser. The walls of the room were light blue. The bed he was on was white, with blue coverings. It was nighttime, and he saw candles burning in places, along with the lamps. He sat up then, and saw the woman he had met this afternoon sitting in a chair in the corner, reading a thick book. A stack of still more thick books sat next to her. Her hair was down now, and she had it in a thick cable over her shoulder. It was very long. Her eyes were contemplative as she read. But then she looked up and saw he was awake.

"What was your name again, Lady?" Eamon asked her. She let out a laugh.

"I'm no lady. Rhiannon. Rhiannon George. And did you say your name was Eamon?" she asked.

"Yes, Eamon. Williams. Eamon Williams," he said, adopting his mother's maiden name. Rhiannon let out another laugh.

"No it's not. You do not have a last name. Don't lie to me. I know you're Fae. You can't fool a witch," Rhiannon pointed out.

"A witch?" Eamon asked her.

"A witch. Like my mother before me, and my grandmother before her," Rhiannon told him.

"What are you reading?" Eamon asked her.

"Some books my grandmother had that reference the Fae," Rhiannon told him.

"She has books about us?" Eamon asked, curious.

"My grandma has books about everything. Or she did anyways. They all belong to me now," Rhiannon shrugged and went back to reading.

"Why?" Eamon asked.

"She and my grandpa died a few months back. They left me everything they had, including this house," Rhiannon told him.

"I'm sorry," Eamon said.

"I would not expect an immortal to really know what it is like to lose a loved one," Rhiannon pointed out.

"I'm still sorry," Eamon insisted.

"Can you really change form?" Rhiannon asked absently.

"Yes. I can change into an owl, so can my mom and dad," Eamon explained, "Or I could anyways. My magic disappeared when I came here"

"Ah, about that. How did you get here, and why did you come here?" Rhiannon asked.

"I do not know, but I do not think I know why," Eamon told her, "I was in the Ice Kingdom, avoiding Princess Celinda, when I came upon a statue on a funny looking fellow with feet and hands like a bird, but he had bells at the ends of his hairs. He wore a mask like a performer. I stood in front of him, complaining about life in general and wished to see my mother's old house and the Aboveground where she grew up, and then I was here," Eamon explained.

"You gave me the name Williams, was that your mother's maiden name?" Rhiannon asked.

"Yes. Oh, gosh, this is her old house then?" Eamon asked.

"It did belong to the William's family before my grandparents bought it. Wait, how did your mother end up, well, wherever you live?" Rhiannon asked, setting the book down finally.

Eamon related his mother's story to Rhiannon, pointing out his mother had been a successful playwright before she disappeared. He told her of the prophecy and of his mother's transformation. He told her of all his siblings, including little Ophelia. He told her of his cousin Persephone. He told her of how a year ago his brother had wed the Queen of the Trees and they had a daughter named Xbel. He told her how his sister, Phoenix, had married only six months ago, and had twin sons named Sebastian and Lorn only a month ago. His family was huge, and Rhiannon envied him a little. She had been an only child, and everyone in her family was dead. She related to him that she had never known her father, and her mother died when she was three. She had been raised by her grandparents. They were both dead now. She had been raised a witch. And she lived as a witch. Her grandparents had been very wealthy, and she did not need to work, so she spent her days working with the earth and sometimes she went away to her cabin. She had lost track of everyone he had mentioned by now, but she was sure the subject would come up again.

"Which of these rooms has a tree directly out the window?" Eamon asked.

"The bedroom down the hall," Rhiannon told him.

"That would have been my mother's room," Eamon sighed. He could hardly believe he was in the place that had once been his mother's home.

"Tomorrow we will begin trying to find out what happened to you. How about we find you something more mortal to wear, and then we will go down and I will order pizza," Rhiannon suggested.

"My mother had pizza when she lived here. I remember. I would like to try it," Eamon said as he got up.

"Just wait until you have soda," Rhiannon sighed dramatically.

"What's soda?"

"I'll explain later"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Eamon awoke the next morning in a smaller bed. The bedroom had been his mother's. Rhiannon had made it up for him. He had slept naked, being used to it. He noticed that all his clothing was gone, so he wrapped the sheet around his waist and walked out into the hallway.

"Rhiannon?" Eamon called. He heard a rustle, and then the master bedroom door opened. Rhiannon stepped out, wearing only a short white robe made of terrycloth. Her long legs were bare. Her long hair was bound in a braid.

"What?" she croaked out. Damn! He had looked good in those clothes yesterday, but now he looked downright stunning, his chest bare, and the sheet being held low on his slim hips. His hair was wild from sleep, and his eyes looked sleepy.

"Shower, and clothes?" he asked.

"Oh, the shower is that door on your right. Towels are in the cupboard. I will bring some clothes to you and set them inside the bathroom," Rhiannon told him, "Just leave the door unlocked"

Eamon nodded and went inside the bathroom. Rhiannon nearly dropped to her knees.

Eamon stepped into the warm shower and nearly moaned at how good it felt. The warm water pelted his skin, and he momentarily could stop thinking of the witch he was currently living with.

Rhiannon opened the door, and the shower curtain was pulled tight. She could hear signs of hair being washed.

"Eamon? Here are some more clothes for you," Rhiannon said, and she quickly retreated.

She was just buttering two blueberry muffins when Eamon came downstairs. She nearly dropped the knife. Her grandfather's jeans were slightly too big, but the white t-shirt fit him well. He had pulled back his pale blond hair, exposing his slender neck, and slightly pointed ears.

"What?" Eamon asked her, "Did I not do it right? I was sure I did"

"Eamon, I have no qualms about saying you are definitely the most gorgeous male I have ever seen," Rhiannon said.

"I am? Huh. I knew I was good looking. I look just like my dad, except I have my mom's eyes," Eamon told her. He sat down at the table and took the mug of coffee and the muffin.

Rhiannon sat down and wondered how long this male was going to be here. Much longer, and she did not know what she was going to do. As a witch, she believed her body and what she can do with it is something to be celebrated. She was not ashamed of the way she felt. Expressing herself that way would be completely normal, and a welcome distraction. For now she sighed, and ate the warm muffin.


	28. Eamon Chapter 3

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. Or the plot line of the movie contained therein.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 3

Eamon gazed speculatively at the blue contraption. Rhiannon had called it a 'car'. It had two doors. Eamon only vaguely remembered a 'car' from his mother's memories.

"You say this thing is going to take us to different places?" Eamon asked the impatient Rhiannon. Rhiannon was wearing a white skirt that was loose and flowing, ending at her knees. It was made of some kind of gauzy material. She wore one of those brown 'tank tops', and had a leather belt riding low on her hips. She wore flat brown sandals, and her blonde hair was hanging in a thick braid down her back.

"Eamon, trust me. Get in," Rhiannon told him. She opened his door and motioned for him to sit. She pulled out the buckle and buckled him in. Then she went to the driver's side and did the same. Eamon jumped a little when she started the car, but relaxed when he realized it was not going to attack him.

"How far away is this 'mall'?" Eamon asked her.

"About thirty minutes, give or take," Rhiannon informed him.

Rhiannon had explained to him that they needed more clothing for him, since they did not know how long he was going to be here. She had told him they were going to go to a 'mall'. He had asked her what a 'mall' was.

_"A mall is a large building with a lot of different stores in it. They are all under one roof to make it easier for people to get all their shopping done. And there are a lot of people in the mall, all the time,"_ she had told him.

Rhiannon was driving down the road when Eamon decided he should make conversation.

"So, what do you like to buy at the mall?" Eamon asked her.

"Shoes. I love shoes. I have, like, two hundred pairs of shoes I swear," Rhiannon rolled her eyes.

"But I have almost never seen you wear shoes," Eamon frowned.

"You have only been here since yesterday. And besides, I never said I loved to wear the shoes I buy," Rhiannon pointed out.

"Why buy shoes if you will never wear them?" Eamon asked.

"Don't worry, it is a girl thing. You would never understand," Rhiannon sighed.

Eamon pondered that the rest of the way to the mall, and was still pondering it when they got out of the car.

"Eamon, let it go. You will never figure us females out," Rhiannon laughed, and held out her hand. Eamon looked down at it, confused, "Hold my hand, Eamon. We should stay together. Plus, you are cute and I will make all the other girls jealous"

"If you really want to make them jealous then let them see us dance," Eamon said as he swept the witch into a quick waltz in the parking lot.

Rhiannon laughed at the Fae as he ended a turn, and led him into the mall by his soft hand.

The mall was kind of amazing to Eamon. It was huge, and there were so many people. So many _mortals_. All in one place. And half the girls were barely dressed.

"How do these girls get out of the house wearing less than most people wear to bed?" Eamon heard himself splutter. Rhiannon laughed.

"It's the latest fashions. They seem to think that by wearing the equivalent of lingerie everywhere they go that they will attract the members of the opposite sex. They do not seem to realize that all the mystery is gone when they do that," Rhiannon pointed out.

"If I ever had a daughter she would not be allowed out like that," Eamon huffed. Rhiannon let out a twinkling laugh, "What?"

"Once they turn eighteen you have no say in what they do anymore," Rhiannon pointed out.

"I am the heir to the Goblin Throne. I am the Crown Prince. My children will be the next in line for the throne. I will be damned if they will get away with that!" Eamon said harshly.

"Calm down Eamon. I am sure things work different where you come from," Rhiannon squeezed his hand.

"The Underground," Eamon told her.

"The whatta?"

"I come from the Underground. My mother and father are the King and Queen of the Goblin Kingdom," Eamon told her.

"Your father is the Goblin King?" Rhiannon asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I just came across that term in a book. I will look back at it later. Ohh! Shoe sale!"

Eamon found himself being dragged into a department store. Rhiannon headed straight for the women's shoes. Eamon sat down in a black chair, while Rhiannon started stacking shoe boxes in her arms. She made several trips back to the chair next to him, and stacked the boxes on the floor. She finally sat down and took out a pair of black heels.

"How tall are those?" Eamon asked her.

"By the great American system of inches and feet? Four inches high," Rhiannon told him as she slipped of her brown sandals. She slipped on the strappy heels and stood up.

Eamon nearly became short of breath. Damn, her legs were long. So long. She pointed her toe and bent her knee, turning her heel this way and that. She movcd over to a mirror and studied the effect more closely.

"What do you think?" Rhiannon asked him.

"Um, looks good!" Eamon said brightly, trying not to show how he was feeling.

Rhiannon tried on many pairs of shoes, and then selected several pairs for Eamon. He ended up with two pairs of sneakers, and a pair of black dress shoes. A sales person helped them carry the boxes to the register, where Rhiannon handed over a plastic rectangle to the cashier.

"What's that?" Eamon asked her.

"This? Oh, they call this a credit card. I pay with this for now, and then they send me a bill later on in the month," Rhiannon explained, "It's so funny to explain this all to you!"

Eamon frowned. If Rhiannon had ever met his father she would have seen that his frown matched his.

They had spent a good two Aboveground hours shopping for shoes. It was now time for lunch. Rhiannon bought them more pizzas and sodas. They sat in the little food court and Rhiannon contemplated the rest of their shopping schedule. After lunch they found themselves in another department store that specialized in men's clothing. Rhiannon helped Eamon pick out pants and shirts. She felt herself salivate when he came out of the dressing room wearing a tight pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt, which emphasized his lean form and lithe muscles. With his long hair back he looked like some kind of rock star. She realized she was staring, and she looked down.

"I like it!" Eamon told her enthusiastically.

"Good," Rhiannon smiled. They paid, and realized it was dark outside.

"Took us a long time to shop," Eamon told her.

"We can get some take out and a video," Rhiannon offered.

"What's a video?" Eamon asked. Rhiannon let out a loud laugh that made her face light up exponentially.

"Come on sweetheart, I will educate you," Rhiannon grabbed Eamon's free hand and led him to the car.

Some time later the pair sat on the large couch in Rhiannon's living room. Rhiannon had decided on Chinese food, so Eamon was staring at an egg roll with trepidation.

"What is this?" he asked the beautiful blonde. Her hair was now piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and she wore a white tank top with red flannel pants.

"Egg woll," Rhiannon told him, her mouth full of chow mein.

Eamon laughed, "Egg woll?"

Rhiannon swatted him and swallowed, "Egg roll. It's good. Trust me"

Eamon bit into the roll, and chewed thoughtfully, "Not bad"

Rhiannon had decided to rent some video about some kid who has to save some princess from some guy in a black suit, Eamon could not remember what she had told him about it. She had insisted that the movie was pure genius. She had just placed it in some electronic contraption and a moving picture popped up on the screen. Eamon had gleaned bits about televisions from when his mom was mortal, but he had never seen anything like this in his mom's memories.

After he was done eating, the kid had just gotten to the princess in question. Eamon felt full, and he leaned back on the couch. He felt sleepy too, after the busy day of shopping. Rhiannon was curled up on the other end of the couch, a content look on her face as she watched the movie.

"Come here," Eamon commanded her. Rhiannon scooted closer to him. He lifted up his arm, and Rhiannon ducked under it, resting her head on his shoulder. Eamon just wanted to be close to her. She was the only friend he had just then.

Eamon did not know when he fell asleep. He only remembered the kid had been flying his spaceship down some trench while the guy in the black suit was chasing him. Eyelids closed, not to open again until morning.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Erebus sat in the carriage, content with his place, but uncomfortable with the speed. They had been on the road for two days, and he knew they had much further to go before they reached his new home, the Goblin Kingdom. He was rather fond of goblins. Little creatures capable of great mischief. He could not wait to use this form to take over. From what he understood, he was the Crown Prince. By listening to the carriage driver and the footmen, he had come to realize that he had brothers, sisters, a father, and an incredibly beautiful mother.

Erebus used his considerable magic to speed this carriage and its horses up. They had told him it would take a month to reach the Goblin City. With his help, they would be there in only a week.

"Giddyup," was all that crossed his lips as he idly planned the hostile takeover of the Goblin Kingdom.


	29. Eamon Chapter 4

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. I use a trio of sindarin elvish words in this chapter, and again later in the story. "Kenedril Iest Elei" literally translates to "Mirror, Wish, Dream". In this story I have roughly changed it to be mean, "The Mirror of the Wishing Dream".

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 4

They both sat on the floor of the library, stacks of books surrounding them. They had made a list of priorities. They needed to find out what the statue was that it had such powers as to grant wishes, and what the statue was. Then they needed to find out how to get Eamon back to the Underground.

"I guess it is a moot point when I say that if I had my magic, this search would have been over long ago, huh?" Eamon said softly as he looked through a wiccan reference book.

"Yeah. I need music," Rhiannon said, and she turned on the radio that sat on a shelf. Music came out of it, but not any music Eamon had ever heard before.

"Do you play piano?" Eamon asked Rhiannon.

"No. Do you?"

"Yeah, all of us do. Mom insisted," Eamon explained.

"All of you?"

"Yeah. Toby, Aaron, Phoenix, Damien, Tanwen, and me. Ophelia will start learning as soon as she can reach the keys properly," Eamon said with a smile.

"And Phoenix and Damien are your triplets?" Rhiannon asked. He had mentioned all of his family before, but she had not really absorbed all the information.

"Yeah. We are all three different extremes. My mother saw it before we were even born. My mother can sense babies, and talk to them while they are in utero. She knew she was pregnant when she woke up the morning after her wedding. It is a rare gift to be blessed with. Phoenix represents passion. Her hair is bright red, with black and blonde streaks. Her eyes shine like orbs of light. Damien represents darkness. His hair is black, with blonde streaks. His eyes are like my father's, cruel and mismatched. I represent the light. I have my mother's eyes. Phoenix married a mortal that was wished to the Underground by his younger brother. Damien married a dryad, the Queen of the Trees. Phoenix has twins. Damien has a little girl. Toby is my uncle, and he married a princess from the Dragonlands. Aaron has ever married, and I do not know that he ever will. He is very content doing whatever Mom and Dad tell him to do," Eamon explained.

"Do they love their spouses?" Rhiannon asked.

"Mom and Dad only ever asked one thing of us. We had to marry for love. Never for position. Only a prophecy made my mother queen, not her birth," Eamon pointed out. Rhiannon frowned at the book in front of her, "What?"

"Is this him?" Rhiannon asked, showing Eamon the picture. Eamon recognized it immediately.

"Yes. Who is he?" Eamon asked.

"Erebus. Son of Chaos. A morally ambiguous mischief-maker. He was sealed in a…reliquary….uh…back…," Rhiannon trailed off.

"What?" Eamon asked her.

"Eamon, that statue was not any statue. That was a reliquary! It housed his spirit! Your wish woke him up! There is no telling what he is doing now that he is free. We need to find a way to get you back. He probably knows everything about you by now. He can, and probably will, hurt people. I have no idea what he is really capable of. But he does not know right from wrong, Eamon," Rhiannon said worriedly.

Eamon stared out into space, lost in his own thoughts.

Rhiannon continued to scan the book she was reading, looking for any information on Erebus. She was far into the book when she stopped at a drawing of a large, beautiful mirror. The frame was black and gold, scrolled artfully, with runes inscribed on the rim. The caption below the picture read:

"_Kenedril Iest Elei"_

Rhiannon looked at the opposite page for an article about the lovely mirror. She found it and read it aloud, softly.

"Kenedril Iest Elei, or the Mirror of the Wishing Dream," Rhiannon whispered, "A magical mirror said to grant a dreamer their greatest wish. This mirror was said to have disappeared hundreds of years ago, yet rumors persist of its continued existence"

"What was that?" Eamon asked, pulling at a thick lock of blonde hair while reading another tome.

"Nothing," Rhiannon assured him as she placed a small slip of paper between the pages, _Nothing but a fool's hopes._

Some hours later Eamon was startled by a loud noise from across the room.

"Ah ha!" Rhiannon yelled triumphantly.

"What?" Eamon asked.

"This is it. A ritual," Rhiannon hummed to herself as she sat down and read. Eamon watched her until her blue eyes rose to meet his, "Eamon, you had better like staying with me"

"Why?" Eamon asked her, truly curious.

"Because this spell must be performed on the night of the full moon. And, the new moon was just a few days ago," Rhiannon told him regretfully.

"Will it get me home?" Eamon asked her.

"Yes"

"Then I could care less how long it takes," Eamon smiled confidently at the witch, and Rhiannon felt her pulse race.

_I wonder what it would be like, to live Underground? To see elves, dwarves, dryads, centaurs, satyrs, fairies, merpeople…_

"Eamon? What are the fairies like?" Rhiannon asked him wistfully.

"They bite. Stupid creatures, really," Eamon told her. He saw her frown, "What's wrong? What did you expect them to do?"

Rhiannon laughed loudly, "Come on, Your Highness, it is time to get some dinner"

"Can we have pizza again?"

"Yes, Eamon"

"And iced cream?"

"Yes, Eamon"

"You mean Your Highness"

"Yes, Your Highnass"

"Hey!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sarah and Jareth sat on their chairs in the audience room, content in just sitting there. Sarah looked up as what looked like a white snowball flew swiftly into the room and into her hands. The white ball crumbled, and Sarah removed a letter. After scanning it for a moment she gasped and dropped it. Jareth picked it up, and read it calmly. It took a lot to shake his queen.

"_To Their Royal Majesties, King Jareth and Queen Sarah of the Goblin Kingdom, Master and Mistress of the Labyrinth:_

_I write to you now because we are old friends, and I wish for you to know this information before I bring it before anyone else. Your son, Prince Eamon, has left our kingdom under the most dubious of circumstances. It seems he went for a ride in the country, and then came back a changed man. He had been avoiding my lovely daughter for some time, but all of a sudden he went to her rooms, and mated with her. Not that she minded, well at least at first. She wanted him to be her first. But, in the mating, he was very violent with my daughter. He ripped her, and bit her, and made her bleed everywhere. I did not expect this from the little boy I once knew. He has succeeded in seeding her, this I know from our midwife's knowledge, since Fae births move so much quicker than others. Princess Celinda is pregnant. And although I used to love Eamon like he was my own, he is no longer welcome in our kingdom. He will be executed if he tries to return. _

_With love and regrets,_

_Queen Carla of the Ice Lands"_

Jareth vanished the letter to his personal office. He turned to his wife, who was pale and shaking.

"Eamon would never do such a thing! He is kind, and sweet. He did not even halfway like Celinda in that way! The poor thing! Something is wrong here Jareth!" Sarah exclaimed. Jareth hugged her and kissed the top of her soft head.

"I know. We will send Damien to go talk to Carla and to see what could have gone wrong," Jareth assured her.

"It will take him weeks to get there, Jareth!" Sarah exclaimed with worry.

"If you, Phoenix and I pool our powers, we can send him there much faster," Jareth told her.

Hours later, the trio of Fae stood together in the garden. They were going to send Damien a very powerful crystal. It would have enough power to tell him what needs to be done, why it needs to be done, and to get him there in half the time. It would also get him back to them in half the time.

Jareth conjured the original crystal, and poured his power into it. Sarah went next, combining her magics with Jareth's and filling the crystal with more power. Phoenix went last, melding her powers with her mother and father's, filling the crystal to almost bursting. She then blew on it, sending it posthaste to her brother, who was, at that moment, sitting on his throne, with his dryad wife next to him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Damien happened to be looking at the sky when he saw one of his father's crystals floating towards him, faster than he had ever seen one of them float. He held out his hand and the crystal landed. Then, voices came out of the crystal. That had never happened before.

_"Damien, we need you to go to the Ice Lands as soon as you can pack and get Dante saddled…," _the crystal spoke in a combination of his mother, father, and sister's voices. It told him of what had happened, and the letter they had received. It told him he needs to go there, and find out exactly what happened due to the fact that this did not sound like Eamon, at all. It told him of all this crystal could do, and how to do it, "_Good luck Damien," _was what it said at the end.

"How long will you be gone?" Xen asked her husband.

"Hopefully no more than a month or so, thought I cannot guarantee it. I will send you word," Damien told his wife. He kissed her thoroughly and went to go kiss his daughter.

Xbel was sitting on the floor in the nursery, her bright red hair shining from the sunlight streaming through the window. She was playing with a gnarled stick, trying to puzzle out how it ended.

"Xbel honey, Daddy has to go away for a while. Take care of Mommy. I love you," Damien gave his daughter a kiss and went to go see to the packing. If there was one thing that had tempered his gruffness, and his brooding; it was his daughter, who had his mismatched eyes and bright red hair that was as curly as her mother's.

Damien was off within a couple of hours, riding northeast, towards the Ice Lands.


	30. Eamon Chapter 5

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. Sorry the updates have been a little slow. I am trying as hard as I can. I promise that it will be worth the wait though! This one took a while because ffnet took away my posting privileges because I posted a songfic. They took it away from me for a week. Grr.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 5

"Eamon, you have been here a week now, do you realize that?" Rhiannon asked the prince. Eamon looked up from the magazine he had been flipping through in confusion.

"Really?" Eamon asked, "Huh. Three more weeks of being here with you then?"

"Yes. That is actually what I wanted to talk to you about. You are going to be here three more weeks, and I kind of do not want to spend that three weeks cooped up here," Rhiannon told him. It was actually more serious than that. The past few days had been filled with slight touches, brushes of skin, and it was all starting to drive Rhiannon a little insane. She was not one to throw herself at someone, but yesterday she almost had.

She had felt like a horny teenager yesterday. Rhiannon had this bright idea to wash her car, and Eamon was helping her. She was rinsing off the car and did not see that he was washing the door panel on the opposite side of the car. When she started to spray the water, it soaked him to the bone. He had been wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. When the shirt got soaked, he stripped it off. That had been enough to make her catch her breath. After she apologized, she went about washing the rear of the car, when the water hit her from her right side. Eamon was getting revenge, but she could not exactly strip off her green tank top. Her denim shorts were soaked also. From there is deteriorated into a war for the hose and the soapy water. After about fifteen minutes of running back, forth, and around, Rhiannon had tackled the prince from behind, pinning him to the soft grass in her yard. She rolled off of him, and he looked at her. His hair was soaked, his skin glistened with soapy water, and Rhiannon found herself wanting to rub up against him, and suck the water off his lips. She had seen a flicker of something in Eamon's eyes. Rhiannon had resisted, and she went about cleaning up their enormous mess.

Eamon looked up all of a sudden, holding a magazine aloft, "These 'magazines' are disturbing! 'What do his lips say about him'? 'Will you hook up this fall'? 'What's your orgasm style'? 'What does his kiss say about the way he loves you'? Twisted! Insane!" Eamon brandished the magazine like it was a weapon, and Rhiannon could not help but fall down and laugh.

"Eamon! You know, women are usually the ones who read those," Rhiannon pointed out, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Well, what do you want to do, since you do not want to stay cooped up here any longer?" Eamon asked her, helping her off the floor.

"Let's go to the park. We can pack a picnic, and I can meditate. Some intense contact with the ground might help me gather power for the ritual," Rhiannon pointed out, "Go upstairs, and in the closet is a small basket"

Eamon was halfway up the stairs before he realized he had followed yet another of her commands. He looked over his shoulder and shouted down, "You know, you would make a good queen. You sure are good at giving orders!" He continued onto the closet anyways, grabbing said basket and bringing it to Rhiannon. She had a slightly haunted expression on her face, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Rhiannon shook herself out of her melancholy reverie to smile at Eamon. He shrugged and sat down again.

It was a short time later when they packed up the car with the basket, a large blanket, and a couple of books for Eamon to read. They took off down the road, only to stop a few minutes later at a park that sparked Eamon's memory. Or rather, his mother's memory.

_"Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great. My kingdom as great…damn! I can never remember that line…"_

"Shit!" Eamon gasped. He had never thought he would ever get to see this place. There it was, the stone footbridge, the small pillars, including the one he knew his father had perched on that day. He looked around in wonder.

"What is it Eamon?" Rhiannon asked, a little concerned.

"This is it! This is where it happened!" Eamon was making no sense to Rhiannon.

"What happened here?" Rhiannon asked him.

"This is where my mother came the day she wished Toby away. She was standing over there," Eamon pointed to a spot a bit away, "and she was practicing her lines out of her book…and he saw her here. Then it started to rain, and she ran home, to what is now your home. I never thought I would ever be able to see this."

"That's amazing!" Rhiannon was happy for him. He looked as if he had seen heaven. Eamon hugged her tightly, and then took her hand. He walked them over to a spot near the footbridge. Rhiannon knew it made him feel closer to home. They laid out the big blanket, and then Rhiannon took off her sandals. Eamon just looked around in wonder as Rhiannon sat on the grass.

"Why not on the blanket?" Eamon asked her.

"I am an earth element. I need to be as close to the actual earth as possible," Rhiannon told him. He nodded in understanding and stayed quiet while Rhiannon undid her braid and sat cross-legged on the green carpet of grass. She closed her eyes, and Eamon knew he should probably stay as silent as possible for however long it took. But that did not mean he could not look at her, like he had so many times now. She was gorgeous. She was as beautiful as any Fae. Her blond hair was long, and so light. Her eyes were ice blue, and when she got angry or excited they turned sapphire blue. The lashes were light brown, and dusted with gold. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent, and it was very soft. He had touched her hand many times, and 'accidentally' brushed her arms, her thighs, and her calves some number of times. He wanted to be close to her.

_Even if it is only for these few weeks, I want to be close to her. I wish I could take her back with me. We could spend more time together, get to know each other better. But, I have no idea how she would end up there. My mother was allowed to come because she had to. Toby was allowed to come because he was a child and they made exceptions. I cannot even communicate with anyone in the Underground to see about getting her to come back with me. _

Eamon found himself lying on the large blanket, staring at the same sky his mother must have stared at many times while in this same park. He could hear birds chirping, the small brook babbling, the wind in the trees, small children laughing in the distance, and a dog barking every once and awhile.

Rhiannon did not know how long she had been under. That was what she liked to call it anyways. The point at which she ceased to be a person, but became a child of the earth instead. She shut all of it out, and instead reached down into the earth with her consciousness, feeling everything below her. She curled her psychic fingers over dirt, minerals, animals, plants, water, and all the lovely things that made up the earth that she currently sat on. Then she used her mind to open it up, and let the power of it all drift into her. She had sat that way for a long time, days in her mind, but when she came up she noticed that the sun had only moved a little, and that Eamon was fast asleep on the blanket.

Rhiannon had seized many chances to look upon him like this, so innocent looking. She knew he couldn't be. There was no way a man that good looking could be innocent. The thought intrigued her, and maybe even scared her. She was definitely no virgin. And he would look almost just like this forever.

Rhiannon heard a puppy barking, and then someone's voice, "Rhiannon!"

A slightly older girl toting a little Labrador puppy came bounding up to the blanket. Eamon seemed not to even hear her, or the dog, because his eyes were closed and his breathing was even.

"Renee! Nice to see you again, what's it been, like, two months?" Rhiannon stood up and hugged her friend. Then she kissed Renee's cheeks, and then her lips, in greeting to a fellow witch. Renee returned the kiss and the hug, "Who's the puppy?"

"My neighbor's," Renee rolled her eyes, "They are out of town, so I am house sitting"

"What are you up to otherwise?" Rhiannon asked her.

"A little of this, a little of that. Mark and I are going to that one club tonight…'Z' I think is what it is called," Renee told her, "Hey! Bring that handsome guy you have sleeping there!"

Rhiannon looked down at Eamon and smiled.

"When did you start dating him, Rhiannon?" Renee asked as the puppy snaked its way around her legs, nearly knocking her off balance.

"I'm not dating him per se, he is a friend from out of town and he is staying with me until the full moon," Rhiannon told her friend. She knew Renee would never believe the truth. She may have been Wiccan, but she was not as strong a believer in magical things as Rhiannon was.

"Staying with you, eh?" Renee said lecherously. Rhiannon held up a fist and shook it at her friend. Then she let it drop.

"To tell you the truth, I wish he didn't have to leave. Part of me wishes I could go with him," Rhiannon said wistfully. Renee laughed.

"You always were a hopeless romantic, Saphira Ni' Ffion," Renee sighed. Rhiannon started at the sound of her craft name. They normally reserved their craft names for use during rituals and when they were around other witches.

"Why so formal?" Rhiannon asked her friend.

"Seemed like the appropriate name for the appropriate time," Renee shrugged. Then she brightened up, "So, you going to come tonight? And bring…what's his name?" Renee asked.

"Eamon," Rhiannon told her.

"Sounds Irish, maybe Scottish. No matter, what's his last name?" Renee prodded.

"Prince," Rhiannon told her.

"He looks like a prince, that one does. Well, Rhiannon George, will you and Eamon Prince be joining us tonight?" Renee asked again, insistent.

"Sure. We have been looking for something to do. We have been getting kind of bored," Rhiannon pointed out.

"Meet you there at ten?"

"Ten," Rhiannon nodded.

Renee waved as she jogged off, the puppy yipping and snipping at her ankle.

"Saphira?" an amused voice asked sleepily from the ground. Rhiannon nearly jumped off the ground.

"How much did you hear?" Rhiannon asked him, wondering if he had heard her confess how much she wanted him to stay.

"I heard someone call you Saphira Ni' Ffion, and nothing before that," Eamon told her, "Why? Were you talking about me?"

"Not really. We are going out tonight," Rhiannon told him.

"What's your real name, Rhiannon George, or Saphira Ni' Ffion?" Eamon asked her.

"Rhiannon was the name I was born with. It is the name that ties me to this body. Saphira Ni' Ffion is the name of my spirit, of my inner self. Normally we do not even use this name unless we are doing ritual or are in the presence of other witches. She should not have used it out here, where other people may have heard it, you excepted," Rhiannon stretched out beside the prince and laid on her side, so she could look him in the eye. Big mistake. His eyelids were heavy with sleep, and his hair was mussed.

_He could arouse a damned rock!_

"Where are we going out tonight?" Eamon asked her.

"My friend Renee and her boyfriend are going to this club, and they want us to join them," Rhiannon brushed an errant strand of hair off his cheek, an unconscious gesture.

"Shouldn't I be asking you?" Eamon sounded confused.

"About what?"

"It's a date, right? Shouldn't I be asking you out? That was what one of those magazines said," Eamon frowned, trying to figure out the puzzle.

"You do not have to ask me out. I could ask you out, or we could just go since we are going to go anyways," Rhiannon pointed out.

"But I want to take you out!" Eamon protested.

"You want to take me out?" Rhiannon asked him.

"Would you say no?"

"No, I wouldn't," Rhiannon whispered. She realized her face was only a few inches away from Eamon's. She could feel his warm breath on her face.

"What are we doing here?" Eamon asked her, serious.

"Kiss me?" Rhiannon asked him softly.

"Why?"

"Because I have been wanting you to. Because we only have a certain amount of time together. Because you are hot. Because I'm being honest when I tell you that I want nothing more on this earth than to be kissed by you right now," Rhiannon told him, bringing her face even closer so that her lips were right next to his. Eamon closed the gap, chastely brushing his lips against hers in the softest of kisses. Then his lips were gone, and Rhiannon missed their presence.

"Can I take you to dinner tonight?" Eamon asked her.

"Yes, but I'm going to pay," Rhiannon laughed.

"Oh good, because I have no money!"


	31. Eamon Chapter 6

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. This is it until next week. Hope all of you can handle it.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 6

Rhiannon decided to splurge, since it was their first 'date'. After they finished their picnic, she took him to the mall and had him pick something to wear on his own. She swore not to look, and even closed her eyes while paying the cashier.

"Do you think you will be okay in the mall by yourself for a little bit?" Rhiannon asked him.

"I am the crown prince of a kingdom, I think I can handle being alone in the mall for a little bit," Eamon smiled.

"Come back in an hour," Rhiannon told him. She handed him her watch. Then she went one way, and he went another.

Rhiannon ended up in a store she loved, filled with beautiful clothing of all styles. And shoes. It did not take long for Rhiannon to pick out a pair of low-slung black capris, made out of black gabardine, that came to mid-calf. The top she picked was a black camisole, made of crinkled black chiffon over a nude base. It was gathered in the middle, and had incredible beaded detailing. Rhiannon pulled her long blond hair up, and imagined it in a long, sleek ponytail. A salesclerk brought out a pair of black ballet flats that suited Rhiannon's tall frame and the capris.

All in all, Rhiannon left the store in a good mood. She was practically bouncing while walking back to the meeting spot. Eamon was already there, sitting patiently on a bench.

"You find what you were looking for?" Eamon asked her. She nodded. He took her bags from her and he carried everything to the car. She smiled at him once she was buckled in.

Eamon placed Rhiannon's bags in her room, and then hung up the clothing he had purchased in his room. He looks admiringly at the charcoal pinstriped pants, and the white linen shirt. He had even purchased a pair of black dress shoes that were not only stunning, but were very comfortable. The salesclerk had shown him how to roll up the sleeves on the shirt so that it looked a little casual, and how to unbutton the top couple of buttons to let the white t-shirt underneath to show. The slacks were slim, and showed off his height. Totally appropriate for going out, he was sure. If he were back Underground it would have been breeches and the usual shirts and the such. Here, he could experiment a little bit.

As Rhiannon hung up her clothing she thought much the same thing, but in the opposite way. Here, she was limited to the same old clothes everyone else wore. If she were Underground with Eamon, she could wear all sorts of fascinating outfits.

_And admit it, being there with him would be the greater attraction,_ Rhiannon thought to herself.

"Shut up," Rhiannon told herself.

"How long do we have until we have to leave?" Eamon called out to her from his room.

"Well, unfortunately, we only have about two hours until we have to leave for the restaurant," Rhiannon told him.

"I'm going to take a nap," Eamon told her.

"I'll wake you in an hour," Rhiannon offered.

"Thanks"

Rhiannon knew that there was no time for her to mess around. She needed to bathe, and do her hair and makeup. All the things necessary to look all pretty for a few hours.

The bath felt good. Afterwards, she sat at her vanity and pulled the comb through her hair, pulling it higher and higher until it was at the crown of her head. At that point she secured the ponytail with a black hair band, and then wrapped a sheer black scarf around the ponytail, tying it into a bow. Her bangs were wispy around her face. She took some smoothing cream and worked it through the ponytail with a comb. The cream would help to keep the ponytail smooth and straight. It would take some time to dry. She applied concealer, foundation, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, powder and mascara to her face. Her eyes were done in silver, gray, and black. It made them look smokey, and seductive. She used a light pink gloss on her lips, so as not to distract eyes from eyes.

Rhiannon padded down the hall in her bathrobe, and opened Eamon's door. He was passed out on his bed, still dressed in the clothing they went shopping in.

"Eamon?" Rhiannon asked, shaking his shoulder. He did not wake up. Rhiannon shook him harder. Finally, she blew in his ear, and he opened his eyes with a start.

"Time?" he asked.

"Get up you schlub," Rhiannon smiled at him. She saw his eyes widen a little as he took in her robe, and the state of her hair and makeup, "What?"

"I have never seen anyone use face paints in such a way," Eamon told her.

"Well, this is the way I do it," Rhiannon told him, "I'm going to go get dressed. I will meet you downstairs"

Eamon rose up from the bed as Rhiannon left the room, her perfume lingering in the air. She smelled like orange blossoms today. He went into the bathroom and came out minutes later, only to disappear back into his room. He pulled a white t-shirt over his head, and then pulled on some dress socks. He buttoned and zipped the slim charcoal trousers, and then he slid his arms into the lightweight shirt. The pants did not require a belt. He left a couple of buttons undone, and rolled up the sleeves slightly. He brushed his blond hair, and left it down. It hung like a river of pale moonlight, shining and shimmering. He looked in the mirror and found the effect to be suitable.

"Was this what you had in mind?" Eamon asked as he bounded down the stairs. Rhiannon almost did a double-take at the sight of him, looking like something out of a romance novel.

"You look wonderful," Rhiannon told him as she looked him up and down.

"Ah, don't look at me like that, you will make me blush," Eamon warned, even as he was eyeing her the same way. She looked tall, and incredibly sexy, "Shall we go?"

Rhiannon took the arm he offered her, and they walked out the door. Rhiannon locked the door, then placed her keys in the tiny black purse she was carrying.

Dinner was wonderful. They spoke about the Underground and The Labyrinth over their appetizer, and mused about Aboveground customs over the main course. By the time they were finishing off the tiramisu, Rhiannon was in stitches over a story about the first time Eamon got his brother-in-law, Aidan, drunk.

"The Beatles? You were singing The Beatles?" Rhiannon laughed, wiping tears from her eyes.

"At the top of our lungs!" Eamon assured her.

The bill came as they were finishing their coffee, and Rhiannon gladly picked it up. After all, it was not everyday that a common witch got to dine with a Crown Prince. And she could not have asked for better dinner company. He was gorgeous, sweet, kind, charming, and had more sexuality in his pinky than a majority of men. It was not like her to be so….well, horny. She liked sex, and was not shy about it, but she was rarely ever so forward. Just the same, her goal tonight was to finally find out exactly how well her house guest could kiss, if not how well he perform…other tasks.

They climbed into her car once again, and drove a short ways to the new club, which was already beginning to form a line. They paid the valet to park the car, and then Eamon led her to the line, his hand resting on her lower back.

"Why the line?" Eamon asked her.

"Ah, the bizarre Aboveground ritual of picking and choosing. They are trying to pick and choose the best looking people. We should have no trouble with how good you look," Rhiannon leaned into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. That made Rhiannon happy.

She was right. Not long after that, a bouncer brought them front and center, and admitted them both, to the dismay of the gathering masses.

The club was new, and it showed. Flat screen televisions were flashing everywhere, and the light and sound were state-of-the-art. This place had a lounge, where ambient beats were spun, two dance floors of popular dance music, and a room of house beats. It was three levels, and each level had its own bar. This place was simply extravagant.

Rhiannon loved all kinds of music, and she loved to dance.

"You do not have to dance if you do not want to," Rhiannon yelled at Eamon over the music, "I know you are probably used to waltzing or something like that!"

"We will see!" Eamon told her.

Rhiannon started scanning the club for her friends, and did not see them yet. She made her way to the bar, and signaled the bartender.

"What can I get you beautiful?" the bartender asked her.

"Two red headed sluts!" Rhiannon ordered the sweet, Jagermeister based shooters. It was not long before she was handing a ten dollar bill to the bartender. She waved for him to keep the change, and then handed one to Eamon.

"To Erebus, the only reason I am getting to spend this evening with you. He may be evil, and he may have taken your magic, but I am grateful that you came to me," Rhiannon clicked her glass against Eamon's and downed the sweet shooter. Eamon did the same.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was night when the carriage pulled up to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. Aidan rushed out of the stables, where he had been doing some late night grooming on Hanyou while Phoenix and the twins slept. Eamon stepped out of the carriage and fixed his eyes on Aidan. Aidan looked in the eyes of the Fae who was not only his brother-in-law but also his best friend, and saw something was off.

"Ah, there you are. Is there something left for dinner? I'm famished," Eamon said as he swept past Aidan like he was a common stableboy, no one to pay mind too.

"Aren't you concerned with what your parents are going to say about your behavior with Celinda? What went wrong?" Aidan asked the prince.

"Nothing went wrong. The girl threw herself at me, I did what she asked and mated with her. Nothing else," Eamon walked in the front doors of the castle. Aidan frowned as he followed, leaving the duty of putting the carriage horses away to a small horde of goblins.

"You hurt that girl, Eamon. This is not like you," Aidan said to his friend.

"Who are you to speak to me in such a manner? I am the Crown Prince, and you had best remember your station when speaking with me," Eamon said haughtily. He caught a goblin maid by her hair, "You! Have someone bring my bags in and have dinner sent to my rooms"

The maid squeaked and curtsied as she went about Eamon's wishes. Once his bags had been brought in Eamon followed the goblins carrying them upstairs.

Aidan could sense it in the air. Wrongness. Eamon did not belong. He was not Eamon. Aidan ran as fast as he could to see his in-laws.


	32. Eamon Chapter 7

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

A/N: I do not own Labyrinth. I do not own the words to "Total Eclipse of the Heart". Also, I know my last author's note said I would not be updating for a week, but that was because I uploaded the chapter on Friday, but then realized ffnet had banned me from posting until yesterday. So, you get a chapter tonight….and maybe another one tomorrow.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 7

Sarah and Jareth were awakened by a sharp knock on their bedroom door. Jareth got out of bed and padded over to the door, after flicking his hand so some pajamas appeared for he and Sarah. Sarah looked down and was pleased to find a lovely pair of red pajamas. She was not so pleased, however, to see her son-in-law stride hurriedly into the room. She sat up straight, alert to whatever news he had to share.

"Eamon is back. Or rather, something like Eamon is back. It looks like him, but his eyes are different. He speaks different. He told me to mind my station!" Aidan began to pace. Sarah looked at her husband, who was scowling. Then she sunk down into herself and felt for the sense of her triplets. Damien was somewhat Northwest, Phoenix was not far to the right, in her bedchambers. And Eamon? She could find any trace of him.

"It's not him. It may be something that cloned him, or something that altered him. We will not know for sure until Damien reports back to us. He is still a week away from Carla," Sarah pointed out.

"Ah, but we have the advantage dear Sarah. We know he is not who he says he is. He does not know that we know. I could make him spend the next week in an oubliette, but I think that we should act like nothing has changed. We need to keep our eyes and ears open. We need to buy some time," Jareth explained.

"I agree. I do not think this is good. We wait until he tries something, and then we can imprison him. I do not know who he is, or how strong he is, but with all five of us, we should be able to trap him. If necessary, we will imprison him in one of the iron cells," Sarah said indifferently.

Aidan shuddered. The cells were designed not to kill a Fae, but to weaken them to the point where they had no more power than an ordinary mortal. Whoever this was that was pretending to be the Crown Prince, he would find no sympathy in the dungeons, "So, what do we do now?"

"Double the guard on all the babes. Sarah and Phoenix can hold their own. No one is to leave the castle unsupervised however, as we do not want anyone cornered outside the walls. Avoid the Labyrinth until this all blows over," Jareth commanded. Aidan bowed, recognizing the king talking, and not his father-in-law.

"I do not know how or why this happened. I do not know what happened exactly, but we can only hope the real Eamon is safe somewhere, and that Damien can find out exactly what happened," Sarah said.

Aidan bowed, and went to go see to the plans. He had his own children to worry about after all.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

They had been there an hour now. Eamon bounced his foot in time to the light beat and the even lighter vocals.

"_And I need you now tonight  _

_And I need you more than ever_

_And if you'll only hold me tight  _

_We'll be holding on forever  _

_And we'll only be making it right_

_Cause we'll never be wrong together  _

_We can take it to the end of the line _

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time_

_I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark  _

_We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks  _

_I really need you tonight _

_Forever's gonna start tonight  _

_Forever's gonna start tonight…"_

Eamon looked over at Rhiannon, as she swayed in her seat. She had imbibed many drinks, and had taken to saying things like, "I'll take potent potables for a thousand, Alex!"

He shook his head ruefully at his date, and watched as she mouthed the words to the song currently playing. Then he watched her eyes brighten and widen. She stood up, and waved her hands frantically at an approaching couple. She threw her arms around the girl, and then briefly hugged the girl's date.

"Eamon, this is Renee!" Rhiannon yelled over the music. Renee smiled at Eamon and held out her hand. Eamon shook it, as was custom.

"It is nice to see you with your eyes open Eamon!" Renee shouted, "This is my boyfriend, Mark. Mark, this is Eamon Prince!"

Mark held out his hand, and Eamon shook it confidently. They took seats on the red couch, and watched the men and women dance. After a moment, Mark got up and walked to the bar. Another song came over the speakers, and Renee grabbed Rhiannon's hand.

"Come dance with me!" Renee yelled, and Rhiannon followed her obediently to the dance floor, where Eamon could see them easily. It certainly did not look like anything he had ever seen before, with shiny poles and cages dotting the large dance area. Eamon watched as Renee began to dance with Rhiannon, both of them moving in time with the heavy beat. A man in leather approached Rhiannon from behind, and she waved him off. Renee leaned over and said something into Rhiannon's ear. Rhiannon laughed and nodded. They moved closer together until they were synchronized, huddled closely while the music played.

Eamon arched his eyebrows at the sight. Two women, dancing so closely, moving their hips together? It seemed something different from what he was used to. But for some reason, it was erotic, and desirable. But the men on the dance floor stayed away, sensing something else. Renee wrapped her arms around Rhiannon's waist as they danced, making it seem like they were a couple. Just then Eamon was startled by Mark, who sat down next to him.

"They always do this! It makes the men stay away!" Mark yelled over the music.

"Why do they stay away?" Eamon asked loudly.

"Because they think they are together. It is the same as if you were dancing with her, no other men would try to dance with her since it would seem you were together!" Mark yelled, and then he settled back in his seat to wait.

Not long after that, Rhiannon and Renee came back to the couch, and Mark left to go get them some water.

"Have fun?" Eamon asked Rhiannon dryly.

"Why not?" Rhiannon said slyly.

"Yeah, Mr. Prince, why not?" Renee asked him.

"I was just asking!" Eamon defended.

"No such luck. You need to learn how to dance," Renee told him. She and Rhiannon rose, water forgotten, and dragged Eamon out onto the packed dance floor.

"Now, dancing is easy if you can keep a beat," Rhiannon told him.

"You know I can keep a beat," Eamon said darkly. Then he realized that between Renee and Rhiannon, this was going to be a very long night.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was some hours later when Eamon carried a drunk Rhiannon through her front door, hanging over his shoulder.

"Lightweight," Eamon muttered.

"Where's my car?" Rhiannon slurred.

"For the hundreth time, at the club. I had to call one of those taxis," Eamon said as he sat her down on the couch. Her shoes came off, and then Eamon kicked off his. Then he picked her up again.

"You smell so nice, even after dancing all night," Rhiannon murmured against his back, as he had her tossed over his shoulder. He climbed the stairs and headed for her bedroom. He walked in and laid her down on her bed. Then he turned to leave. He was stopped by her words, "Stay with me?"

Eamon turned around and looked at her, earnest as always.

"If I stay we may end doing something we would both regret. You are very drunk, and not of sound mind right now. In the morning you could hate yourself, and I do not want that to happen," he said. Rhiannon snorted.

"Sugar, just because I am drunk does not mean I am not of sound mind. Drunkeness allows inhibitions to drop. It allows you to say things you would not say if you were sober because of fear. As for hating myself? Sweetheart, I have wanted you since you appeared on that street," Rhiannon got up and walked towards him, weaving a little. She stopped in front of him, "And I know you want me. You have kissed me. You look at me different. Why won't you stay with me?"

"All my life, people have wanted me for one reason or another. When I was young everything revolved around me being the Crown Prince. Now that I am adult, everyone wants me for my bloodline. The girl I was running from wanted my child. I am not going to give in after all this time. The woman I sleep with is going to be the woman that loves me for me," Eamon said hotly. He turned around and left the room. Rhiannon heard the front door close, and she was surprised to find that a tear had escaped her eye. She hardly had time to think about it though before the nausea that comes with being drunk overtook her and she had to race for the bathroom.

Eamon sat down on the bench in the middle of the park. He was so homesick. He missed the Underground. He missed the Labyrinth. Heck, he even missed the bog. He just could not wait for the full moon to come. The only things he would miss about this world would be pizza, soda, ice cream and Rhiannon. How he would miss her. It was almost worth staying, just for her. But he had a home and kingdom to tend to, and there was no telling what the ambiguous Erebus would do to everything he held dear in the Underground.

_What about everything I hold dear here,_ Eamon thought to himself, _What about Rhiannon?_

The girl had a way about her, she had wormed her way in. Actually, it was more like she had come bursting in. From the moment he had seen her she had started to make herself at home in his mind. He dreamt about her. There were sometimes, when they were alone and everything was quiet and peaceful, that Eamon began to think that staying with her was a viable option.

_Option my ass. It was never an option. But, why don't I ask her what she wants? We only have such a short time here, would it be so bad? There is more to her than just those looks. And I know, somewhere deep down, that everything she has said to be has been the truth. And the truth on your part Eamon? You care about her, and it scares you. Because you know you will have to leave. You know she cannot come with you. Let her make the choice. Let her decide. _

It was nearly dawn before Eamon left the bench and made his way back to the house. Silence greeted him, and he fell onto the bed in exhaustion, without even removing his clothing.

a/n: I wrote a one shot song fic entitled "Sara". Ffnet removed it because of it being a songfic. I plan on making it available through a link on my profile soon.


	33. Eamon Chapter 8

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

A/n: I do not own Labyrinth. And for those of you who mentally molest my characters, Eamon shower scene in this chapter! And PixieDust05, I did not get your email off your profile, but thanks so much for your flattering review!

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 8

When Eamon woke up, he found he had a new resolve that had not been there when he had gone to sleep. Or passed out. Whatever. He would find out today what Rhiannon wanted out of him, and they could go back to enjoying the time they had left. He swung his legs off the bed and made his way to the shower. Rhiannon's door was still closed, which meant she was in bed with a killer hangover. He did not have anything to help her here.

The steam filled up the room, and Eamon stepped into the shower with no further invitation. The hot water coursed over his lithe body, covering it in tiny droplets of condensation. Eamon felt more at ease now, less tense as he rubbed the shampoo into his blonde locks. Today might be a good day.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

When Eamon stepped out of the shower he threw on a pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt. He padded barefoot down the stairs and saw that Rhiannon was still not up. He made his way back up the stairs and knocked on her door.

"Rhiannon?" he asked, and heard a very muffled response. Laughing softly he said, "I'm coming in"

Eamon opened the door and found that the drapes were closed, and there was a lump in the bed, covered in blankets, with pillows piled on top of what one would assume would be a head. Eamon laughed when the mound groaned in displeasure.

"Go 'way," the mound said.

"Come on, we need to eat and I do not know how to work the oven thing," Eamon said, as he started to remove the pillows. After a few of them, he saw her blond head, all mussed and tangled. Rhiannon pulled the covers over her head, and Eamon yanked them away and off the bed. She was wearing pink sweat shorts and a black tank top. Rhiannon curled up into the fetal position and moaned loudly.

Eamon made his way over to the window and opened the drapes. Rhiannon whimpered in pain. Then Eamon went into her bathroom and turned on the shower.

"Get up, Rhiannon. Just because you are hung over does not mean you get to lay in bed all day," Eamon said sternly.

"Fuck off," Rhiannon snarled. Eamon reasoned that if she could snarl, she could stand up. He forcibly picked her up, ignoring her feeble kicking and groaning. He opened the shower doors and threw her in, fully clothed. She shrieked as the water hit her, still only halfway warmed, "You bastard!"

"No dear, I know who my daddy is," Eamon said sweetly as he went to find her bathrobe.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Eamon was seated at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea, when Rhiannon stepped delicately down the stairs, aware of every little sound being made. She had changed into a pair of overalls and a white tank top, and she looked like she would rather die than be downstairs. But she was clean, and felt a little better. Eamon poured her a cup of tea and set it down at the table. She sat down delicately, and put her head down on her arms like a recalcitrant schoolchild.

"We need to talk. I ordered pizza, by the way, seeing as it is almost dinner time," Eamon pointed out to her.

"Don't talk so loud. What do we need to talk about?" Rhiannon asked him softly.

"What do you want from me?" Eamon asked the witch. Rhiannon looked briefly up in surprise, and then lowered her head again.

"You are taking advantage of my weakened state you damned Fae," Rhiannon cursed.

"Don't change the subject. Do you remember last night?" Eamon asked her as he sipped.

"Huh?"

"I will take that to mean that you do not remember throwing yourself at me?" Eamon guessed.

Rhiannon groaned, which Eamon took to mean she didn't remember.

"Well, you did. And it got me thinking. Just where are we going with this? We've kissed. We act as if we are a couple. I am obviously very fond of you, and I would think you are fond of me…" Eamon trailed off, distracted by the sight of Rhiannon's head still resting on her arms. He was fooling himself if he thought it stopped at fondness.

_Eamon, you love her. You have loved her since you first saw her. You are kidding yourself, and her, to think that it is anything less. Why is this so hard?_, Eamon thought to himself while waiting for Rhiannon to speak.

_You fool. I don't know when it happened, but I fell in love with you. It probably happened the moment you appeared. It probably happened in a million moments since then. Fond? More than fond. Stupid Fae, _Rhiannon thought in the vaults of her mind.

"Rhiannon? We only have so much time together. Should we make the most of it? What do you think?" Eamon asked her gently.

"What are you talking about? Do you mean, should we be together until you leave? What does that entail? Argh, I need to get out of here!" Rhiannon suddenly yelled. Eamon was more than a little shocked at her reaction.

"Does that mean no?" Eamon asked her innocently. She fixed a cold glare on him.

"I would think you could wait a little more before I give an answer. I need to get out of this city. I own a cabin. A small, but nice cabin, up near Oneida Lake. It has a lake view, and a hot tub. We can go there for the next couple of weeks, until we have to come back. It will be quiet. There will be nothing else. If you want to make the best of the time we have together, then let's pack and get out of here," Rhiannon told him as she rose from her chair.

"How long until we leave?" Eamon asked her.

"I have a couple of phone calls to make, and some things to pack for the both of us. We will leave in the morning," Rhiannon told him. She abandoned him and went to the basement. Eamon felt it best to leave her alone. Had he followed her, he would have been privy to a couple of very interesting phone calls.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rhiannon dialed an old number she had found written down in the small phone book her grandfather had kept. Her grandfather had been a collector of antiques. A lot of his discoveries were hidden in a warehouse, where no one could get to them. But that was neither here nor there right now. Right now, Rhiannon needed information from Davis, her grandfather's antiquing friend. The phone on the other end rang three times before someone picked it up.

"Yes, Davis Willows please?"

"Hold please"

Rhiannon waited on the line while elevator music played. Then David picked up the phone.

"This is Davis Willows"

Rhiannon sighed in relief, "Mr. Willows, this is Rhiannon George. My grandfather, Seamus ó Maoilriain, was one of your friends," Rhiannon prodded the old man's memory.

"Ah, yes. Seamus spoke of you. His little granddaughter. But then I suppose you are all grown up now," Davis commented.

"I have a question for you, if you are willing to answer it," Rhiannon said.

"Please, Miss George, I am at your disposal," Davis assured her.

"Have you heard of the 'Kenedril Iest Elei'?" Rhiannon asked him.

"'The Mirror of the Wishing Dream' eh?" Davis asked.

"The very same," Rhiannon told him.

"Well, it was real at one time. I tend to believe it might still exist," Davis told Rhiannon. Her heart jumped at the thought.

"You don't say?" Rhiannon feigned astonishment.

"Yeah, I remember hearing something of a German Count named Heinrich possessing it. It has supposedly been in his family for generations now. No one has seen it. It is said that his great great grandfather could not get the mirror to work, so he stored it away, and only the current heir knows the location. It would be a princely sum to try to obtain it," Davis pointed out.

"Find out for me. If he has it, where he has it, and how much he wants for it," Rhiannon told him.

"Miss George, we are speaking of-" Davis was cut off.

"I know what we are speaking of. Right now, I would give my life for that mirror. I am going to be gone for two weeks. When I come back, I expect you to have that information. You will be compensated I assure you," Rhiannon told the flustered antique dealer.

"Done and done Miss George," Davis said as he hung up the phone.

Rhiannon could have danced for joy. She pirouetted as she made another call, her hangover forgotten.

"This is Keito Takahashi, how may I help you?"

"Konnichiwa. Toire wa doko desu ka?" Rhiannon said, hoping she had said the right thing.

"Rhiannon, hi! Well, this time you got the 'hello' right, but then you asked me, 'Where is the toilet?'" the soft voice on the other end of the phone said.

"Damn and double damn!" Rhiannon cursed, "I swear I will get it right someday!"

"I speak English too, you baka. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Keito asked her old friend, and client.

"I need to know how much I am worth in every single way, and how wealthy I would be if I cashed everything in, including selling the cabin and the house," Rhiannon dropped a bomb on her financial adviser and stockbroker.

"Why?" Keito asked.

"I may be acquiring something very expensive, and I want to know exactly where I stand," Rhiannon explained.

"It must be very expensive indeed. I will need some time," Keito explained.

"I am going away for two weeks starting tomorrow morning. I need to know by morning, it is important," Rhiannon pleaded.

"I can find out by then. Who needs sleep anyways?" Keito exaggerated.

"Knew I could count on you. Tomorrow morning then?"

"Tomorrow morning Rhiannon"

Rhiannon hung up the phone and sat down in a comfy chair. All the books she would bring with her were already stacked in a pile from the other day.

If she was right, it would take everything show owned to acquire the key to getting to the Underground. She only had one desire now, and that was to be with Eamon. For good or for ill, she wanted to go Underground with him. She did not care how long it took, but he would not leave her here, not when she had just found him.


	34. Eamon Chapter 9

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 9

As a new day dawned in the Goblin Kingdom, Sarah realized that this, this **thing** had been living in her castle for two days, and they had not seen one whisper of him. His food was being taken to his room, and he did not come out at all. They were all quite happy with this, as it meant they did not have to run into the mystery guest. But Sarah knew that if he was going to make a move, it would be soon.

And she was right. She rounded a corner and nearly ran right into the entity that had taken on the form of her oldest son.

"Excuse me Eamon," Sarah said with a smile. She wanted to act like nothing had happened, "I have not seen you since you returned!"

"Did you miss me?" the figure asked her, while still leering at her figure.

Sarah was repulsed by this. She knew it was not her son in there, and every instinct told her to run away.

"I must go, your father needs me in the audience room," Sarah made her excuses, and she ran away. She could hear a small chuckle echo in the hallway behind her.

"Now, that one is pretty. Let's see if we can find another pretty one," Erebus said aloud as he prowled the hallways. His long imprisonment had filled him with lust that had not been sated when he has bedded the pretty wench in the Ice Lands. He found this form to be pleasing to the eye, and knew he must have another soon. Then he could begin to get rid of the people who ruled this place. He whistled complacently as he explored his new home.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sarah was breathless as she ran for the audience room. Jareth stood as she entered, looking worried.

"I could feel your upset all the way down the hall! What happened?" Jareth asked her as he enfolded her in a hug.

"I ran into whatever that thing is that looks like our son. He was undressing me with his eyes, Jareth," Sarah shuddered at the memory. Jareth wanted to punch something. He settled for kicking an unsuspecting goblin out the window. Sarah swatted him on his shoulder.

"What? I have not done that in years!" Jareth protested. Sarah shook her head.

"Let's find Phoenix and Aidan. It is obvious this thing means harm. We are not stupid. Let's put it away before it hurts someone. Once Damien returns, we can figure out what to do," Jareth consoled his wife.

Sarah sent a crystal to Aidan, who was out in the stables working, "Phoenix should be in the library"

"Let us go then," Jareth held out his arm to escort his wife.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Erebus opened the slightly open door the rest of the way and found that a woman, beautiful beyond recognition, was seated on a black couch, engrossed in a large tome. He cleared his throat to get her attention. A flicker of worry passed over her face as she saw him, but she smiled brightly.

"Eamon! So nice of you to join us!" she said.

The girl had red hair, mixed with black and blonde, and the most extraordinary eyes. She had lovely curves, and was obviously very royal indeed. She even looked vaguely like himself in this form, "So sorry to keep you waiting"

Phoenix shuddered as he came closer, in her brother's form. She did not like the look in his eyes. It was madness and lust rolled into one. She felt nauseous, and knew it was caused by his presence. She did not want to strike until the last minute, so she could catch him by surprise. He came closer and grabbed her arms. He started to back her up until she fell on the couch.

"So beautiful. Just like the other girl, except more," the figure muttered as he began to untie his breeches. His eyes went down to his crotch, already hard with need, and Phoenix saw her opportunity. She harnessed her inner flame and kicked with her foot, catching him straight in the balls. His crotch was now smoking as he gasped and fell down in pain. Just then, her mother and father walked into the room. Jareth created a crystal ball and encased the wounded figure in it. Sarah added her own power, as well as Phoenix. They held him there until he recovered. Then, one of them created a blindfold to put over his eyes, while another one of them created arm and leg cuffs made with trace amounts of iron. Not enough iron to poison the skin, but enough to restrict whatever abilities this creature might have. They walked down the corridors, and into the dungeon. They had not had much use for these in centuries, but today they would serve. They floated him to a large cell, and sent him, crystal sphere and all, into the cell that held trace amounts of iron. The prisoner had recovered.

"Stupid Fae," was what he said.

"And what are you?" Phoenix was bold enough to ask.

"I am Erebus, son of Chaos. You have no right to hold me here"

"You are wrong, you attacked the princess. I have every right," Jareth sneered, "Where did you come from, and what did you do with our son?"

"Your stupid son had come riding into my forest, where I had been imprisoned. The fool wished for something considering the Aboveground. I granted it. I do not remember now what it was. I took his magic, and his body," Erebus smiled sweetly, "I also had that young woman back in that castle. I would have had that one too," he pointed at Phoenix," if the lot of you had not come barging in"

"You have no clue what you did was wrong," Sarah said.

"What is wrong or right? Who decided that? I took what I wanted, and would have taken it again. You had no right to stop me," Erebus tossed the remark off flippantly.

Jareth, Sarah, and Phoenix left the figure to stew in the cell. If he stayed there forever it did not matter. Revenge was a cold notion now.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rhiannon's cell phone rang just as they were about to pull out of the driveway. They had been up since dawn, packing and loading for a two week trip to the cabin.

"Yes?" Rhiannon asked, as she stepped out of the car and walked to one side of her garden.

"Rhiannon, Keito here," Keito began to speak of Rhiannon's finances. Rhiannon's face lit up as Keito let her know how much she was worth. Her grandparent's house was worth a cool million. The cabin and its' surrounding land were worth another two million. She had about five thousand in her checking account, and about another one hundred thousand in her regular savings account. That was what she had in cash anyways. There were stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate investments, the antiques collection. There would be enough. Keito assured her she was worth somewhere around fifteen million dollars.

"Are you sure?" Rhiannon asked.

"May a demon strike me down if I am not," Keito swore.

"In two weeks time I will tell you what I wish to be done. I only hope there is enough time," Rhiannon told her.

"I know better than to ask," Keito sighed, "Have fun"

Rhiannon made her way back to the car, and she slipped back into the driver's seat. They stopped at the grocery store, and then at the mall. They purchased more clothing for them both, along with some hiking boots for Eamon. It was afternoon when they finally got on the road to the cabin.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Eamon was jerked awake when the car turned onto a gravel road. Tall trees surrounded them, and the air smelled incredibly fresh. Rhiannon looked tired. They finally stopped in front of a small cabin overlooking a large lake. The cabin was made of dark wood, and had a charming front porch with a swing and two rocking chairs.

"Wow," Eamon said as they exited the car.

"My grandfather built it. We own it, along with the eight acres surrounding it," Rhiannon smiled and inhaled, "Thank goodness it is only late summer"

"Why?" Eamon asked.

"In winter this place is snowed in, and remains buried until the spring thaw," Rhiannon explained. She fished the keys out of her pocket and unlocked the door. She moved to another wall to disable the alarm.

Eamon thought the place was wonderful. The floors were hardwood, but the fireplace was made from stone. It was one large room with just a few doors. One for the bathroom, made of wood, but with a large, sunken stone tub. Another door went to the laundry room, with state of the art washer and dryer. Then there was the front door, and then the French doors that led out onto the balcony. The balcony was also made of dark wood. It had a wonderful view of the lake. There were stairs off the balcony that led down to a trail. The trail went off into the forest.

Rhiannon hummed a tune as she passed him, heading for a box that was secured to the wall outside. One switch started a sort of motor, while another brought up the balcony lights. Rhiannon walked over to a large round object that was lying on the balcony. She moved it aside, and there was a tub filled with bubbling water.

"What's that?" Eamon asked her.

"A spa. In about an hour this water will be piping hot and ready to soothe my muscles. We should bring everything in right now," Rhiannon pointed out.

They brought in their groceries, and then the supplies. Eamon put the groceries away while Rhiannon made up the bed. Between the two of them their work was done in no time.

"Can we order pizza?" Eamon asked Rhiannon as she sipped from a bottle of water.

"Nope. No phone here," Rhiannon told him. She walked to the fridge and took out stuff to fix sandwiches. They ate them on the porch swing, looking out at the stars. After they were done, Rhiannon brushed off her legs and headed back inside. Eamon heard her rustling for something in her bag, and then heard the bathroom door close. He was content where he was. Soon the bathroom door opened again, and then Rhiannon came back out the front door.

"What to come in the spa?" Rhiannon asked him. Eamon was still trying to reason with what she was wearing. She was wearing a black thing, or two things. It was all very small and concealed nothing.

"Sure," he found himself saying. Rhiannon handed him a pair of shorts and left him inside, while grabbing a couple of towels. Eamon changed into the colorful shorts and headed outside. Rhiannon was dipping her toes in the spa, savoring the heat.

"It's perfect," she said, and then she lowered herself into the steaming water. She let out a loud moan that would have woken the neighbors if they had any. The sound of any kind of pleasure coming from Rhiannon's mouth made Eamon go wild.

Eamon lowered himself gingerly into the hot water. It was almost too hot for him to take. His skin started to turn pink from the heat. He settled down, Rhiannon walked through the water over to him and relaxed against him, her back pressing into his chest, her bottom resting between his legs. His nipples were pressed against the skin exposed by the black pieces of fabric. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and put his mouth next to her ear.

"What is this fabric thing you are wearing called?" he asked her softly.

"A bikini," Rhiannon told him. He wrapped some strands of her hair around his finger and leaned in again, breathing softly on her ear.

"Why did you bring me here?" he whispered, the air still and quiet.

"You wanted to make the most of our time together. So do I. Here there are no computers, no phones, no television, no distractions…but there is an exchange here, Eamon. Something for something," Rhiannon sounded serious.

"And what's that?" Eamon asked, curious.

"You have to let go. Let it happen. Don't fight it. Forget that we are anyone except Rhiannon and Eamon. I'm not the witch you are depending on, and you are no crown prince. You are just you, and I am just me," Rhiannon let her fingers dance over the water.

"You and me, eh?" Eamon asked, holding her tighter.

"Mm-hmm," Rhiannon let her head fall back to rest on Eamon's shoulder. Her throat was fully exposed. He lowered his lips and kissed her there, opening his mouth and tasting her skin with his tongue. Rhiannon shifted restlessly, her bottom rubbing against his thighs. Then she scooted away.

"Why'd you move?" Eamon asked her, disappointed.

"You said you would not give it away unless someone loves you for you. And since you accused me of not being that person, I do not feel right pursuing actions that will lead to something you might regret," Rhiannon explained.

"I thought you did not remember anything from that night!" Eamon exclaimed.

"I didn't until just now," Rhiannon swallowed, "I'm sorry"

"What for? You were drunk," Eamon shrugged it off.

"No, I went about it the wrong way. I just did not know what to say or what to do. There were things I wanted to tell you but I was too scared to. Hell, I am busting at the seams with things I want to tell you, but I feel this enormous amount of guilt," Rhiannon swallowed, "Look, we have to share a cabin and a bed for two weeks. Let's not say things we will regret," Rhiannon shifted her gaze to the side, looking out over the lake.

"No regrets Rhiannon. I want you to act like I never have to go back. I want you to say everything you would say if I were not the crown prince of a magical land. Pretend I'm a man, not a Fae," Eamon pleaded. He wanted to hear what she had to say. She looked so fragile, and not a little bit lost. If what she was feeling was the same thing he was feeling then he knew it would mean breaking both their hearts when he left.

"Being Fae is one of the most magical things about you. It makes you who you are," Rhiannon pointed out as she continued to stare.

"If I were not a crown prince I would give it all up to stay with you. But having a title comes with a price. I have responsibilities. My future subjects depend on me. I do not belong to myself down there, I belong to them. Here, well here there is only one person I feel I belong to," Eamon confessed.

"You are no one's property!" Rhiannon snapped.

"What do you want me to say?" Eamon asked, frustrated. What did she want from him?

"I want to know you will hurt as much as I will when you leave. I want to know that I am not wasting my emotions on you. A week Eamon. A fucking week. That is all we have had, and it feels like so much more. Why can't it be different? Why did it have to be this way?" Rhiannon asked desperately, tears in her eyes.

"You care that much?" Eamon asked her.

"You are stupid for a Fae. Of course I do," Rhiannon started to get out of the spa. She wrapped a towel around her waist and walked inside.

Eamon climbed out of the spa and sat on the stairs. He could just make out the trail that led into the forest. A week ago life had seemed a lot simpler, even though he knew Underground life was just as complicated. But he had an investment here he had not counted on when he had woken up. Just how much the witch would mean to him. She was right, of course, why did it have to be this way? For both of them?

_Mom and Dad always wanted us to marry for love. And here I am, in love, and I cannot make her my Queen. I must share my father's love of mortals. Was this how it was for him? The frustration, the feeling of being lost like this? For fear of sounding cliché, even to myself, I have to say: Why me?_

Eamon resolved something in his mind. He would not be able to take her back with him. He could not give her forever. But he could give her tonight, and every night he could after that. He could even marry her before he left, if she would have him. He could give her every bit of him he had to give, and hope that it would be enough.

"It will never be enough," he told the nighttime sky.


	35. Eamon Chapter 10

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. Sexual situations do follow in this chapter. Does not get to full on lemon, but darned close. So ye be warned.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 10

Eamon walked into the cabin after a few more moments of staring at the sky. He was scared to death. He had no experience whatsoever at giving pleasure to a woman. He could only hope and pray he knew enough to do this the right way. Especially since he knew Rhiannon was no innocent.

Rhiannon was sitting in an armchair, wearing a bathrobe that had little duckies embroidered onto it. Her feet were curled beneath her, and she was pretending to be engrossed in a paperback novel. The only way Eamon knew she was pretending was because the book was upside down. He made his way over to her and knelt down in front of her. He took the book from her hands and threw it over his shoulder, where it proceeded to make a thumping noise as it landed on an area rug. She turned her sapphire gaze to him, and he grabbed her hands. They were cold. He rubbed them between his own and started to speak to her.

"I have told you before of how my mother and father were forced to be together by a prophecy. Well, I have not told you of how he proposed to her, have I? A royal proposal is anything but romantic. It is an affair of state, and is handled as such. My mother could not bear to leave it at that. She did as she was told, said what she was supposed to say. But when they went out onto the balcony to greet the subjects: that was the exact moment she took the opportunity to tell my father that she loved him, for the very first time. From her memory I can recall that she saw how his face lit up, how his smile widened, and how his whole demeanor seemed to lighten. It made him the happiest man in the whole Underground to hear her say those words. She accepted her fate. She gave into it all. She left it all behind. And here I am, ignoring all I can have," Eamon stood and Rhiannon stood with him, "Rhiannon, I cannot give you forever. There are limits on what I can give you. But, for three weeks I can give you all that I was," he kissed one cheek, "all that I am," he kissed the other cheek and her lips parted softly, "and all I can be, all for you"

Rhiannon gasped as he kissed her, feeling her knees go weak. He wrapped his arms around her and held her up. She opened her mouth and willingly let his tongue in, stroking it with her own. Each stroke was pulling at her, drawing her in. She regained her footing and balance. She reached between them and tore the towel from around his waist. He was still wearing his swim trunks. She scraped her nails up his back, and then wrapped her fingers in his hair. The ends were still wet. As she pressed herself against him, she could feel that he was already hard, ready for her. She reached between them once again to untie the sash at the waist of her robe. The robe parted, showing that she was nude beneath. She shrugged the robe off her shoulders and let it fall softly to the ground. Then she reached for him, and pushed down his swim trunks. They were loose, and fell in a wet heap to the ground. They stood there, nude, devouring each other mouths, until Eamon broke the kiss to pick Rhiannon up. He carried her to the bed and placed her gently on it. She scurried under the covers to keep warm. He walked around the bed and did the same, reaching for her in the process.

"I've never done this before, you know," Eamon pointed out gently.

"I'll help you," Rhiannon told him as she kissed him again.

For quite a while lips met lips, and tongue met tongue. Fingers grazed skin and mouths started to follow. Eamon tasted her flesh in places he had never tasted before, and Rhiannon was awash in pleasure by the time he felt that he was ready to join with her. She looked him straight in the eye as he entered her, making them one. He shuddered and stopped, eyes closed in ecstasy.

"What are you waiting for?" Rhiannon whispered.

"You just feel so perfect. I am trying to fix this moment in my mind is all," Eamon told her. His breathing was starting to slow, and he became acclimated to being within her. He began to move, and for some time after that, all either of them knew was each other.

Sunlight was streaming through the window when Rhiannon finally opened her eyes. Her head rested on Eamon's chest, and his fingers were idly playing with her hair. She wrapped her leg around his and tilted her head up to see his face. His eyes were still sleepy, and a sleepy smile played on his face.

"Morning," he said. Rhiannon smiled and moved back to her former position, not wanting to give him an excuse to move.

"Morning," she said softly and sweetly.

"So, I was thinking, how about you marry me?"

Rhiannon did a double take, but did not move from her position, "What?"

"I figure we can do that handfasting thing you told me about once. That way, when I leave, you will be free. But for the last week I am here, when we get back to town, you can be my wife. What do you say?"

"What purpose would this serve?" Rhiannon asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"Well, I look at it this way. Last night I promised myself that, until I leave, I was going to give you every thing I could of me. I would not have done what I did last night if I had not made myself that promise. But, I also want to do what I would have done if I could stay…be your husband. It would not be legal, in any sense of the word, but it would mean something to me. Do you want to?" Eamon asked Rhiannon.

"Is this your way of telling me you love me?" Rhiannon asked him with a laugh.

"Suppose so," Eamon frowned, "why?"

"Why couldn't you just say 'I love you Rhiannon' instead of asking me to marry you out of the blue?" Rhiannon asked him.

"Those are words that are not to be taken lightly. And once I say them I cannot take them back. I need to know that when I say them you will still be here," Eamon said, sounding a little scared.

"Eamon, nothing is written in stone. Nothing," Rhiannon told him, "We can only hope that the things we say and do come back to us in positive ways. Sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith. Do you need me to say it first? I can say it first, and I'm just as afraid. I have loved you since the first time I saw you. I'm not normally one for love at first sight, but then again, I am not one for pulling my punches either. I can be honest with myself," Rhiannon told him.

Eamon pinned Rhiannon beneath him and kissed her mouth, "Rhiannon, I love you. More than anything. And if we only have until the full moon then that is all the time we have. But I want every moment to count. Marry me for a week?" Eamon asked her, totally serious.

Rhiannon laughed then, a silly laugh, "We are mad. Insane. Fine, Eamon, I will marry you for a week"

"Good. I was starting to think you would refuse!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Who are you?" Jareth asked the hulking figure that crouched in his cell of iron and crystal.

"I am Erebus," the figure shrugged. The Fae knew this already, why did he persist?

"I want to know more about you. Who sired you?" Jareth asked him.

"I am the son of Chaos, and Chaos alone," Erebus said flatly.

"Do you have any other family?" Jareth asked him.

"Why do you wish to know?"

"I wish to know for my own personal records, that is all," Jareth assured him.

"I have a sister, Nyx. I fathered Aether myself. Nyx and I gave birth to Hemera, Moros, Charon, Eros, and the Keres," Erebus told the Goblin King. Jareth nodded.

"Where are you from, and how did you get here?"

"I will answer no more questions," Erebus said dryly. He almost looked amused. Let the stupid Fae figure out what he was and where he came from for himself. He would have no part of it.

a/n: I know, this one is kind of short. But I need to do a time change in the next chapter, and I did not want to skip ahead a week in the same chapter. Forgive me?


	36. Eamon Chapter 11

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. This chapter starts a week after the last one. And PixieDust05 – thanks so much for your reviews! I usually email all my reviewers every chance I get, but your email is not on your profile so I cannot. The pen name WickedGame is after the song you more than likely were speaking of by Chris Isaak. One of my favorite songs, it plays on my blog. My blog is on myspace, and the link to my profile there is in my profile. If you wanna know more about my reason for choosing it then gimme an email! Okay, done rambling. Onto chapter 11, and folks, we are hitting the home stretch here. Maybe 2 or 3 more chapters after this one, then the epilogue.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 11

It was a week later that Prince Damien rode into the courtyard of the Ice Palace. Dante whinnied and reared just a little before Damien dismounted. A guard detail approached him, twenty men in all.

"Captain Corcer at your service, Your Highness. At Her Majesty's request, we ask that you hand over all weapons immediately," it was not a request, but an order. Damien sighed, but obeyed nonetheless. It was not a matter worth fighting over.

The guards flanked him on either side as he made his way to the throne room. As he entered he spied Queen Carla and Princess Celinda sitting on the raised dais at the head of the room. They looked different. Carla looked older, and even more stoic. Celinda looked melancholy, and her sweet, talkative nature was nowhere to be seen. Damien quickly kneeled on the seal embedded in the floor, not daring to approach further.

"Rise, Prince Damien," Carla bade him.

Damien did as he was told, "Did Your Majesty receive word I would be coming?"

"Yes. Our understanding is that you wish to know where your brother rode, in order to try and figure out what happened, is that correct?" Carla asked him.

"It is our belief that something happened out there that changed my brother. I am here to investigate, nothing more," Damien explained.

"Your brother," Carla almost spat out the term, "Rode due east. He was gone approximately three hours. He could have circled around at any point, but I believe he rode out deep into the forest. I have kindly thought to prepare a room for you, and you will find furs for both you and your horse in that room. I suggest you retire there for the rest of the day, and set out in the morning," Queen Carla said.

"I take it I will be dining in my room also?" Damien asked, a little harshly. He had never done anything to her, and he did not understand her animosity towards him. He could understand her being mad at his brother, or even his father, but he did not have anything to do with this unfortunate affair.

"You may take it to be so," Queen Carla affirmed his assumption.

"Then, by your leave Your Majesty, I will ask to go to my room," Damien said coldly.

"Captain? Please show His Highness to his room," Queen Carla ordered the captain who had brought Damien into the palace. Captain Corcer bowed, and Damien followed him out of the throne room.

The next morning, Damien and Dante departed the castle and rode east. The only real dangerous thing about the Ice Lands was the ice. It could deceive. You never knew when you were over water or over land. And the snow drifts could be a real nuisance. But Damien could see the forest far in the distance. He estimated it at about two leagues away. Assuming Eamon had been trotting his horse in no hurry; that would seem about right. He would more than likely be exploring the forest for the majority of the day. He would need to head back before dark so that he did not freeze to death. He urged his horse into an urgent canter, and rode east.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Damien finally stopped his horse about an hour or so later in front of the silvering forest. The trees were turned silver with frost, and the icicles hung thickly. Snow was piled up against the trees, and there was not a leaf in sight.

"Well, Damien, let's find out exactly what happened," Damien said to himself, his voice sounding foreign in this place.

He rode on, walking his horse as he criss-crossed through the forest, looking for something, anything, that would help solve the mystery.

The sun was starting to get a little too low for Damien's taste when he finally found it: a spot where a statue lay in ruins. Made of marble, it looked like. The area crackled with magic similar to his own, and also a magic he had never felt before.

"This statue is the key," Damien muttered. He conjured a large crystal, and placed all the pieces of the statue inside of it with his magic. He enchanted the crystal to float behind him until they reached the palace. He hopped back on Dante and took off, eager to piece together the puzzle.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

It was late when he pulled in, and the sun had almost gone all the way down. He slid off his horse, and the crystal floated next to him. Captain Corcer came out to meet him. He looked at the crystal a little incredulously.

"Captain, is there a room where I can work on reconstructing this statue?" Damien asked the stunned captain.

"Well, if you are of a mind, we can place a large table in the library. It will be quiet, and you will have reference materials at your disposal," Corcer pointed out.

"Lead the way," Damien said as he handed Dante's reins to a stablehand.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The next morning Damien sat in a squashy armchair and looked at the statue standing in front of him. He took in the long hair with bells at the ends. He studied in the exotic mask. He was amazed by the talons at the hands and feet. He still did not know what to make of it.

"Who are you?" Damien asked. Just then the door opened, and Carla walked in. Damien stood and bowed to her. She walked silently over to the statue, resplendent in a silver gown with long bell sleeves. Her pale hair hung loose down her back as she ran a finger over the cracks in the statue.

"Where did you find this?" Carla asked, a little awed.

"In the forest where Eamon rode to. He was there, his magic was present in the air. But there was another magic there, one I have never felt before," Damien told her.

"You wouldn't have. It is otherwordly magic. This is Erebus," Carla told Damien.

"Erebus?"

"Sit down," Carla gestured back to the squashy chair, "This may take a while. This story begins where almost all stories begin, a long time ago. My ancestor of some ten thousand plus years, Queen Coventina, was not the brightest of queens. She liked to dabble in magic she knew nothing of. Once day she miscast a summoning magic, and that was when Erebus showed up. It is said that he came from a placed called Hades, although I have no clue what this land is, or where it is. Well, Erebus caused a panic. He had no conscience, no sense of right and wrong. He would kill someone for looking at him the wrong way, and never feel like he did anything wrong. He had no feelings except his primal urges. Once he killed Queen Conventina, a group of powerful Fae, including the High Lord from back then, hired a sculpter by the name of Caradoc to sculpt the likeness of Erebus as quickly as he could. This statue is the selfsame one. The Fae circled it, and cast a powerful spell to make it what one calls a reliquary. It would house Erebus' spirit indefinitely. All he needed to do was to touch it. They all became groveling fools and went to Erebus, claiming they had come to worship him so much that they had sculpted his likeness, and oh, wouldn't he love to see the sculpture and give it his blessing. Erebus acted on his primal feeling of pride and vanity and agreed. Once he touched the statue he was sucked into it," Carla paused, not knowing how to go on.

"But not everything lasts forever. The magic must have grown weak over the eons to have Erebus strong enough to break out of it. But how?" Damien asked.

"I do not know. Only Erebus knows. I actually came in here to tell you I have had word from your family. The person going by Eamon is Erebus. Eamon is not in the Underground. No one knows where the real Eamon is. They imprisoned the doppelganger after he tried to attack Princess Phoenix. They ask you to return to the Goblin City posthaste," Carla told Damien with a sigh.

"I'm truly sorry about what happened to your daughter," Damien said as he started to walk out of the room, "I am going to rest until tomorrow, and then I will take my leave"

"Thank you Damien," Carla told him. He knew that would be the closest thing to an apology he would get from the Ice Queen. He nodded and walked out.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Eamon held Rhiannon close as the lake water lapped over them. It was dark outside, but the water was still warm from the sun that day. They were treading in water that was about ten feet deep.

"I do not think I have ever seen a prettier sight than you, in the water, naked, in the moonlight," Eamon told Rhiannon. She laughed as he smoothed her hair away from her face.

"You say that about every time I am naked, which by the way, seems to be most of the time lately," Rhiannon chided her beloved.

"Can't keep my hands off of you," Eamon teased her as he pinched her butt. Rhiannon yelped.

"Well, at this rate we will be lucky if I do not get pregnant," Rhiannon reminded him.

Eamon had not thought of that. Rhiannon watched his face pale.

"I do not think I am pregnant Eamon, don't worry," Rhiannon assured him, rolling her eyes.

Eamon felt a little ashamed of his reaction. He hugged Rhiannon tight in the water.

"I love you. I'm going to miss you so much when I am gone," Eamon whispered in her ear.

"I thought we agreed to not talk about that?" Rhiannon asked him. She did not like to be reminded of the bitter fact that he would be leaving in two weeks.

"Change of subject. Do you think they have ever figured out what happened to me?" Eamon asked Rhiannon.

"If they are smart they have," Rhiannon told him as she started to swim for shore. Eamon followed, and they both stepped naked, onto the small private beach that Rhiannon owned. They toweled off and grabbed their flashlights to make their way back up the trail to the cabin.

"Hey, in a week we can go back to civilization!" Rhiannon said cheerfully as they walked up the trail.

"Back to pizza!" Eamon said cheerfully. He missed pizza.

"When we get back I will make sure you learn how to make pizza, that way you can go back and tell your cooks how to make it," Rhiannon told him.

"Now that would be a feat in of itself. Telling a goblin how to make anything, that's tricky business," Eamon told her.

"What are the goblins like?" Rhiannon asked him.

"They are okay. They vary in size, but I have never seen one over three feet tall. They have big ears, and they have a small amount of hair that sticks out everywhere. They are not too intelligent, but they have their moments. Resilient too, or else my father would not be able to kick them everywhere," Eamon laughed out loud.

"What's the most awesome Goblin King like?" Rhiannon asked, stepping over a troublesome log.

"A rock star," Eamon said sarcastically.

Rhiannon stopped in her tracks, "A rock star?"

"Everyone is always enthralled by him. He is like a legend, although not as much as my mother. She's infamous. See my hair? His is more…flamboyant. It sticks out more, and has streaks of different colors. He has markings on his eyes that look like eyeshadow, but they really match the markings on his owl form. He looks a little colder than I do. He is a man of words, but most Fae would say his tongue is sharper than any sword," Eamon told her, and they continued to walk.

"Would they like me?" Rhiannon asked him. The question had been burning in her brain for a while now.

"Oh, honey. My mom would love you. My Dad would be intrigued. He always was intrigued by mortals," Eamon told her.

They walked in silence until they reached the cabin.

As Rhiannon fell asleep that night she had these repeating thoughts in her head:

_Please let it be enough. Please let it work. I can't lose him._


	37. Eamon Chapter 12

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 12

They pulled into town in the mid-morning.

"Rings," Rhiannon said abruptly, and made the turn that would take them to the mall.

"Rings?"

"Wedding rings, engagement ring," Rhiannon said as they pulled into the mall parking lot. They got out of the car and walked through the parking lot, holdings hands like lovers do.

"I would give you the most beautiful ring I could create if I had my magic back. Or have my dad make one for you," Eamon told his future bride.

"He makes rings?" Rhiannon asked him.

"Hobby of his. He makes all sorts of jewelry. He made my mother's crown, and all the kids', except mine," Eamon said cheekily as they walked into the mall.

"Promise me something?" Rhiannon asked him.

"If I can," Eamon told her.

"When you g-go back, don't ever lose your ring?" Rhiannon asked him, close to tears. He hugged her gently.

"Sweetheart, I am not even going to take it off," Eamon told her.

The jewelry store they went into was large and opulent. Not very busy though. Rhiannon sat down on a stool at a counter, and soon, a woman with red hair and hazel eyes came to greet them. Her name tag said ' Amelia '.

"Hi, Amelia, my fiancée and I need to look at engagement rings and weddings rings," Rhiannon told the clerk. The clerk nodded and opened the case just beneath them.

It took a while, but Rhiannon finally settled on a plain platinum band for Eamon. She chose an engagement ring that was platinum, with a pear shaped diamond and two baguette cut emeralds. Her wedding band matched his however.

"Why emeralds?" Eamon asked her.

"They remind me of your eyes," Rhiannon said simply, "We have a lot to do. I do not care what we wear, but I have to call Renee to perform the ceremony"

Renee would be over that evening to do the handfasting. Eamon had not been privy to that conversation, but Rhiannon had looked a little stressed out when she came out to help him finish unpacking. Once they were done, Eamon told his beloved he was going to go lay down for a bit.

"Go right ahead! I'll wake you in about two hours!" Rhiannon shouted from the basement. Eamon collapsed on her bed, snuggling up to her pillow and inhaling her scent. In one week he would be leaving here. He would never smell her scent again.

_Best not to think about it. Best to ignore it. _

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rhiannon checked her voice mail.

"Miss George, Davis Willows here. It took some wheedling, and a lot of convincing, but it turned out that Count Heinrich is actually indebted to his brother in law for ten million dollars. He is willing to part with the Kenedril Iest Elei for that sum. Please let me know"

Rhiannon dialed Keito Takahashi.

"Keito. I need ten million dollars by the end of the week," Rhiannon waited for the gasp of surprise.

"Ten million? We can sell the cabin, cash in your bonds. Sell your stock. I can have it for you buy the end of the week," Keito told her.

"Sell everything except this house. I need the ten million ready to be transferred to a bank account by Friday," Rhiannon told her friend.

"What's going on?" Keito asked.

"Nothing illegal, don't worry," Rhiannon told her friend. They said their goodbyes, and next Rhiannon rung Henry Jordan, her lawyer.

"Henry, I want the deed on this house switched to one Renee Spiro next Monday. I also need you to get in touch with one Count Heinrich in Germany. I am going to be sending him ten million dollars on Friday, and I need you to set that up for me so it is not illegal," Rhiannon told her lawyer.

It took the whole two hours of calling back and forth to get everything set up. She waited at her fax machine for all the necessary paperwork. She would not have the mirror by the full moon, but a couple of days later she would see if her heart was pure enough to make the mirror grant her deepest, most sincere wish: to be with the one she loved, no matter where he was.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

There were only three people present that night: Renee, Eamon, and Rhiannon. They held hands in the middle of a circle that Rhiannon and Renee had cast. Renee looked a combination of shocked and teary eyed as she stood in front of them.

Of all the things Rhiannon had ever wished for in her life so far, the wish that her grandparents could have lived to see this day was ever present in her mind. Her father she had never really known, and she had accepted her mother's death some time ago, but her grandparent's deaths were still too fresh in her memory. She offered up a quick prayer to the Lord and the Lady in their memory, and focused herself on the present.

"We gather here in a ritual of love, with two who would be wedded. Eamon and Rhiannon now stand here before us, and before the Lord and the Lady. Be with us here, O beings of the Air. With your clever fingers tie closely the bonds between these two. Be with us here, O beings of Fire. Give their love and passion your own all-consuming ardor. Be with us here, O beings of Water. Give them the deepest of love and the richness of the body, of the soul and of the spirit. Be with us here, O beings of Earth. Let your strength and constancy be theirs for so long as they desire to remain together. Blessed Lady and Laughing Lord give to these before you, we do ask your love and protection. Blessed be," Renee intoned.

"Blessed be," Rhiannon and Eamon said in unison. Eamon slipped the rings onto Rhiannon's hand, and she slipped his onto his hand. They held their hands together, so that Renee could place her hands over theirs. All three of them were crying it seemed, and Renee's words were a little broken as she spoke.

"Above you are the stars, below you are the stones. As time does pass remember: Like a star should your love be constant, like a stone should your love be firm. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, but be understanding. Have patience each with the other, for storms will come, but they will go quickly. Be free in the giving of affection and warmth. Make love often, and be sensuous with one another. Have no fear and let not the ways or words of the unenlightened give you unease. For the Lord and the Lady are with you, now and always," Renee sniffed and let go of their hands, "Is it your wish, Rhiannon, to become one with this male?"

"Yes," Rhiannon said, clear and strong. Eamon did not know if he would be able to speak.

"Is it your wish, Eamon, to become one with this female?

Eamon cleared his throat and Rhiannon laughed lightly, "Yes"

"As the Lord and the Lady are witness to this rite, I now proclaim you husband and wife," Renee finished. Eamon enfolded Rhiannon is his arms, and sealed their fate with a kiss. Renee and Rhiannon closed the circle, and then Renee sat down.

"Rhiannon, you have to tell me what's going on," Renee said with confidence, "I know something here is not kosher"

"Kosher?" Eamon asked Rhiannon. She looked at him glaringly.

"It means something is not right," Rhiannon told him, "And she's right. This is not kosher. But it is right. In every sense of the word," Rhiannon told him.

"What's going on, really?" Renee asked.

"Renee I love you and trust you. But I think you will have to wait until some other time to hear all the truth," Rhiannon told her friend.

It was not much later that Renee took her leave, and Rhiannon went upstairs with Eamon.

"Eamon?" Rhiannon asked him as they snuggled on the bed, "What would you say if I told you I could come Underground with you?"

"I'd say stop teasing me," Eamon said blandly.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Over the next week they did various things. Eamon learned how to make pizza. Rhiannon prepared for the ritual. Eamon packed up everything he had here to take with him back Underground (he had gotten a little too fond of jeans). Rhiannon packed her things too. They went to the park. They made love under the stars in the backyard. They planted things in the garden. Eamon showed Rhiannon how to waltz. Rhiannon showed Eamon how to lindy hop. They spent almost every waking hour together. And when they were not actively doing something, they spent their time making love, discovering each and every nook and cranny of each other's bodies. Both of them never wanted it to end. But as the day came for the ritual, they knew it had to.

Eamon could not look at her. Her eyes were empty. He knew he looked the same way. He went for a walk while she cleared a patch in the garden for the ritual. He ended up in the park, next to the footbridge, reliving the memories of his mother. After an hour of staring at the same spot Eamon knew he had to believe she would come back to him. His heart refused to believe anything less.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

When the moon had risen, Eamon and Rhiannon made their way into the backyard. A piece of tree trunk sat in the middle, holding candles, matches, an athame, some ribbon, and a cauldron. Eamon stood in front of the altar, while Rhiannon stood on the other side. She lit all the candles except the black and white one.

"Rhiannon?" Eamon asked her.

"Eamon. No goodbyes. Don't even think it. Maybe I will be lucky, and the Lord and the Lady will see fit to let us meet again, but let's leave it at that"

"I love you," Eamon said gently, tears in his eyes.

"And I love you. Let's do this"

Rhiannon picked up her athame and began to slowly walk clockwise around the circle, saying:

"By the motion of the sun

This magic circle I create.

O ancient elements, one by one

I summon to participate:

Spirits of the Air,

Guardians of the East;

Spirits of the Fire,

Guardians of the South;

Spirits of the Water,

Guardians of the West;

Spirits of the Earth,

Guardians of the North"

Rhiannon walked back to her altar and grabbed her salt and her water. She walked around once again, clockwise, saying:

"With water and salt I consecrate

This sacred temple of magic great"

Once again she walked back to the altar and she used a match to light the white candle. She stepped back and recited:

"I invoke thee

O great Lady,

Mother of the silver moon,

I invoke thee

O great Lord,

Father of the golden sun,

Into this circle I invite

Thy sacred shining light

Of white"

The circle started to glow a bright white color that rose from the ground to form a wall of light around them. The light felt loving, it felt healing, it felt…right.

Rhiannon rubbed the inside of her cauldron with an oily looking substance that Eamon had not seen. She lit the black candle. She placed black gloves on her hands and picked up a length of black ribbon. She stepped back and intoned the words that would send Eamon back, even as the tears shone brightly in her blue eyes:

"I call upon the energies of Universal balance!

I call upon the ancient energies of my people!

I call upon the living essence of the Underground, Land and Sea!

I waken these energies unto me.

Witness now that the Aboveground renounces and severs bonds and connections with Crown Prince Eamon of the Goblin Kingdom!

By all powers that are One Power!

May the great sisters of karma now weave anew,

And separate this world from you!

As I will, so mote it be!"

Rhiannon screamed as a white light flashed so bright she was momentarily blinded. She quickly cut the black ribbon in her hands, and burned the pieces in the cauldron. She had to close to circle quickly.

"This magic rite is now complete.

This magic circle is now uncast.

So mote it be!"

Rhiannon Elizabeth George – Prince collapsed on the dirt beneath her feet, staring into space. Where her heart was there was now emptiness. Only the next couple of days would tell if she would ever see her beloved ever again.


	38. Eamon Chapter 13

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 13

At the same time that Eamon was being magically transported back to the Goblin Kingdom, Damien rode into the courtyard, grasping his report, and also toting the crystal-encased statue of Erebus. Dante stopped at the doors, and Damien strode in, passing the guards and the maids.

Sarah and Jareth were still in the audience room, talking quietly. They looked up, and smiled gratefully at his appearance.

"Please tell us you found something," Sarah pleaded with her son.

"I found out everything," Damien told them the tale. Some things they knew already, some things they did not. As he was showing them the reliquary a bright light flooded the room, and then Eamon was there, collapsed on the floor. He wore the strange costumes of an Aboveground mortal. Sarah recognized the simple jeans and t-shirt, but the black and white shoes did not look familiar at all. She ran to him, and turned him over. He was unconscious. He wore a platinum ring on his left ring finger. The color drained out of her face as the meaning of that hit her. He looked okay, just worn out. Jareth was conjuring and sending crystals as fast as he could. Footsteps could be heard running. Tanwen, Phoenix, Aidan, and Aaron came flying into the room. They were all shocked by the appearance of their brother. Sarah decided the best thing would be to get him to his room. She gestured, and he levitated off the ground. She moved in the direction of his room. They went through the hallways and into the nicely decorated bedroom. It was just as he had left it, save the fact that it had been thoroughly cleaned after Erebus had moved to his new…home.

Sarah was a little teary eyed as she let her son settle on the bed. The others left quietly once he was settled in. Jareth was the only one to protest, but Sarah assured him she would be okay, and that she would notify him when Eamon finally woke up.

Sarah looked down on her crown prince. The first son she and Jareth had biologically. He looked…okay? She was surprised at that. She could have sworn that being away would be bad for him, but he looked clean and well fed. She was less worried about his physical condition than by what the platinum ring on his left hand meant. Who was she? Who had managed to make her son fall in love and marry in such a short amount of time? Was that who Eamon stayed with while he was Aboveground?

The issue of Erebus would be dealt with after Eamon woke up. They had all agreed that Eamon had a vested interest in performing the ritual with them. The High Lord had sent them a ritual to seal Erebus in the reliquary once again. They were powerful enough to perform it without the High Lord, which was a relief. Once it was sealed they were going to seal it the same way Sarah had sealed Xandra's, and then they were going to shrink it. Once it was shrunk, it would be sealed away in a place only Jareth knew how to get to. Not even Sarah knew where he vanished those kinds of things.

Sarah called in a book from the library and sat down to read. She had told everyone she was not going to leave this room until Eamon woke up, and she intended to do just that.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Smell was the sense that woke Eamon up, or lack thereof. Rhiannon smelled like honeysuckle on the vine and soft grass. This smell was not present, but the one that was present was tantalizingly familiar. The feel of the luxurious sheets and blankets around him felt that same way, like something he had once known, but had partially forgotten.

Panic hit him as he realized he was not in the simple bed inside Rhiannon's house. As he opened his eyes and looked around frantically, he realized he was back in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. His room was just as he had left it, save the fact that his mother was asleep in a comfy chair in the corner, a book open on her lap.

"Mom?" Eamon asked in disbelief. Sarah sat up, the book falling to the floor with a thump.

"Hey there sleepyhead," Sarah said with a smile, "We missed you"

Eamon felt empty and alone, even with his mother right there. He had known it was going to hurt to leave Rhiannon behind, but he had no idea it was literally going to feel like his heart had been ripped from his chest.

_He looks so lost!_, Sarah thought to herself, "Eamon, how do you feel?"

Her son stared at her like he could not comprehend the question. Sarah thought that maybe he needed a little prompting. She knew that she had been the only one to see the wedding band on her son's hand. Sarah moved closer and sat next to her son on the bed.

"Want to tell me about her?" Sarah asked.

"Who?" Eamon asked, his voice hitching.

"You know who. Your wife," Sarah said softly, nudging her son with her velvet clad elbow.

Eamon was silent, trouble and sorrow etched on his brow. A tear escaped out one eye, and then another. Before either of them knew it, Eamon was openly weeping. Sarah rubbed his back, and then she conjured a kerchief for her son to wipe his eyes with.

"Rhiannon," Eamon finally sobbed.

"Rhiannon? That was her name?" Sarah asked.

"Rhiannon Elizabeth George – Prince," Eamon let out a little laugh, "I had to have a last name up there, to fit in"

"Oh honey, why did you marry her?" Sarah asked.

"I do not think, in a million years, that I could tell you what she means to me, and I also do not think that I could comprehensively tell you why I did what I did. I can tell you these things, Mom. Number one, I love her more than anything. Number two, I am never going to get married to anyone else, even if that means passing the throne onto someone else. I have only one wife, even if I will never see her again," Eamon told his mom, the tears disappearing.

Sarah knew she could not dissuade him, even if she tried. The men in this family were more stubborn than a donkey. She loved them all the more for it. And right now, she felt only pride for her son.

"Tell me everything," Sarah smiled, and listened to Eamon's tale.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

When he was done there had been laughter, and tears. Sarah had laughed when he told her about his obsession with pizza, soda, and ice cream. She had wanted to cry when he told her about their handfasting. She was amazed by the tale of the family that had bought her childhood home. Rhiannon sounded like the perfect woman, which she knew was the true talk of a man truly in love. But she had made Eamon happy and safe, and that was all the really mattered to her.

"What happened after I left?" Eamon asked his mother.

"How much do you know?" Sarah replied.

"He was Erebus, and it was a reliquary. I do not know much more than that," Eamon admitted.

"He granted your wish, whatever that was. The magical seal on his reliquary was weak, and that was what allowed him to even do it. He took on your form. He went back to the Ice Palace and just about raped Princess Celinda, looking like you. That resulted in Queen Carla banning you from her lands. He also got Princess Celinda pregnant. He came back here and was going to try to rape Phoenix. That was when we caught him. He has been sealed in one of the cells in the dungeon. Your father had been to seem him, and has found out some, but Damien was the one who actually went to the Ice Lands and went to where you disappeared. He was the one who found out the answers we did not have, and he brought back the reliquary with him," Sarah told her son.

"How long have I been gone?" Eamon asked without thinking.

"A month," Sarah reminded him.

"It take a month to reach the Ice Lands," Eamon said, a little dubious.

"Sweetheart, a lot of magic was expended on your behalf while you were gone," Sarah told him.

"I am guessing I will not be able to get my magic back until he is dealt with?" Eamon asked her. She nodded, "Then let's go get this done with," Eamon told her as he rose from the bed.

"I'll let you get changed," Sarah told him as she stepped out the door. As soon as she was out the door she sent crystals to everyone. They would meet in the audience room.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Erebus looked unconcerned as he was brought into the audience room. He still wore the form of Eamon, and did not flinch when the real Eamon walked through an archway. They moved both Erebus and the reliquary to the middle of the room, where a large circle had been drawn on the floor. A table with a red, black, and white candle stood in front of them. Sarah was the one who knew the ritual, so she stood by the table, resplendent in black silk, her dark hair tumbling down her back. The ribbons at her wrists were blood red, and matched the blood red fabric that Jareth was currently wearing. They would all stand within the circle to not only bear witness, but also to lend their power.

Sarah started facing East, and intoned the words that would give Eamon his identity back completely:

"Hail, Great Dragon of the East, whose yellow eyes see all in the element of air. I do summon, stir, and call thee up to attend this rite, and call upon your forces to protect and defend me this night"

Next she moved to the South:

"Hail Great Dragon of the South, whose red eyes see all in the element of fire. I do summon, stir, and call thee up to attend this rite, and call upon your forces to protect and defend me this night"

Then to the West:

"Hail, Great Dragon of the West, whose blue eyes see all in the element of water. I do summon, stir and call thee up to attend this rite, and call upon your forces to protect and defend me this night"

And at last, the North:

"Hail, Great Dragon of the North, whose green eyes see all in the element of earth. I do summon, stir, and call thee up to attend this rite, and call upon your forces to protect and defend me this night"

As she returned to the East she spoke again:

"The Circle is sealed and we are completely cut off from the outside world in order to perform our magical workings in sending back all the evil that has been sent against us"

Eamon was amazed at how alike this ritual was to any of Rhiannon's wiccan rituals. She would have loved to be here, working this magic. He willed himself to not think about her, and focused on his mother's words.

Sarah lit the three candles sitting on the table while invoking these words:

"Three candles do I light, in honor of thee, O Lady of this night. White for the maiden pure as snow, red for the mother full within, and black for the crone, old and wise"

She stepped back and threw her hands high into the air, and they all followed suit.

"Oh great Lady, the sorceress who will not be ruled, the weaver of time, the teacher of mysteries. O Lady, you who slit the throats of the cruel and drink the blood of the heartless, yet are the shining sword that protects us from harm. You are the healer of wounds; the warrior who rights all wrongs. You make the weak strong and the arrogant humble, and you are justice tempered with mercy. I call upon you Lady to attend this rite and to send back all the evil that has been sent against us"

Sarah lowered her hands and spoke again:

"Dark Mother, Queen of the Night, he is the kind that intends to ruin us all. Let his efforts fail. Let him return to eternal darkness.

May his efforts always be lost in the darkness with no light to guide them. We are your children Dark Mother, protect us! Dark Mother, help us to reach our goals, live our lives to the fullest,

and walk the path of the Lady. Sweep away all barriers built by those who want us to fail"

Eamon could feel the power begin to build swiftly, filled with rage and hate, all directed at the being sitting encased in crystal. His indifference angered Eamon. How dare he do this? How dare he! Eamon felt all his loss and sorrow come to the surface once again, and he mixed it with the anger to feed the powerful spell Sarah was casting.

"Crush the evil sent against us! Sweep its evil remains back into the place from whence it came! The evil is dead...he has received his just rewards! His mouth is full of ashes, his thoughts of nightmares, his life of unfulfillment! Lady, Dark One, hear our plea, bring justice now, I ask of thee! Right the wrongs that have been done, avenge us now, oh Mighty One!"

Everyone started to glow with a pulsing light as the spell was cast. Erebus had no expression, but watched impassively as his encased form was sucked back into the reliquary from whence he came. The cracks sealed, the missing pieces mended. Sarah held her hands up again.

"It is finished!" the pulsing light went out, and the reliquary was motionless.

Sarah and Phoenix focused on the reliquary, and soon it was encased in flaming crystal, a magical bond said to be unbreakable no matter how many years would pass. Jareth stepped forward after them, and shrunk the reliquary to a very small size. Then he looked at it, and it disappeared.

Sarah closed the circle she had opened for the ritual, making sure to thank the Lady and to release the dragons.

When it was over Eamon returned to his room. No one had even gotten to say hello to him. He kind of liked it that way.


	39. Eamon Chapter 14

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own the Labyrinth. This is the end folks, then the epilogue. All of my many thanks are in there, as well as a timeline and a family tree.

_**Part Three: Eamon**_

Chapter 14

_"Dear Renee,_

_I know this will be hard for you to read, and you will more than likely not believe one bit of it, but here it goes. I am gone. Not dead, not missing. I have gone to another world. The man you knew as Eamon Prince was in fact, not a man at all. He was one the Fae, the fair folk that fairy tales are made of. He came to me through a wish, cast upon a reliquary. He was sent here, and I took him in. He is actually Crown Prince Eamon of the Goblin Kingdom. His mother and father are the Goblin King, and the Goblin Queen. His mother was a mortal before she met the Goblin King. Her name is Sarah Williams. She was a famous playwright at one time. That is another tale though. Eamon and I fell in loce, but I had to send him back to where he came from, in hopes he could right all the wrongs that may have been committed in his absence. I am going to join him. I have spent ten million dollars on an ancient artifact called Kenedril Iest Elei, which means 'The Mirror of the Wishing Dream'. It is said that someone with a pure heart can make a wish on it and have it granted. If you read this, then I have succeeded. The house is yours. Contact my lawyer for details. Please understand that I love Eamon so much that I am willing to give it all up. You have been a good friend and an excellent priestess. _

_Love,_

_Saphira Ni' Ffion"_

Rhiannon looked at the letter before she folded it and sealed it in an envelope. She would leave it on her dresser for Renee to find.

She looked around at everything she would leave behind, and the small amount of things she would take with her. She wore the outfit she had worn that first day, overalls and a pink tank top. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and she wore no shoes. Her toenails were pink.

The mirror sat in the corner, waiting for her to make her wish. She had told her lawyer to give the mirror to Davis Willows, in honor of his help to her. She had told him that she was going on vacation, and may not be back for some time. She had given him the power to deal with everything as he saw fit. She hoped he would do right by her.

"All ready?" she asked herself, and then she grabbed the two duffle bags and the two backpacks she was bringing with her. She stood in front of the mirror and looked seriously at her reflection.

"O Beleg Hiril, hear me," Rhiannon said with her heart in her voice. She summoned up everything she was to make this wish, "I wish to be able to go to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, in the Underground. This is my wish, so mote it be"

It seemed like nothing was going to happen, but then the mirror began to shimmer, looking almost like a smooth silver lake. Her image blurred.

"Come on feet," Rhiannon said, and she bravely stepped towards the mirror. It felt cold, and slick, and it was hard to breathe. She began to panic, and then it was over.

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Sarah sat on her favorite chair, musing about how to get her reclusive son out of his room. He had not moved from his room since the ritual, even though he now had his magic back. There was a knock on her door, and then Phoenix came in. She sat in the chair across from her mothers.

"Did he open the door?" Sarah asked her daughter.

"No. He told me to go away," Phoenix frowned, "And why can I not just go in and be rude to him?"

"Think if you had lost Aidan just as you had found him," Sarah suggested. Phoenix nodded in understanding. Then there was a noise, like a shimmering light, and Sarah's vanity mirror began to glow and shimmer. They both stood and faced it, ready for whatever was going to come out of it. They both furrowed their eyebrows when a mortal girl with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes stepped through the mirror and onto the vanity. Then they gasped when the girl lost her balance and fell to the floor with a loud thump, covered with backpacks and duffel bags. Sarah rushed over, Phoenix behind her.

"Long blonde hair and blue eyes. You must be my new daughter-in-law," Sarah told the girl, helping her to her feet.

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Rhiannon looked at the woman in front of her that had helped her to her feet. She was extraordinarily gorgeous. Her skin was as pale as snow, and her hair was as dark as a cup of espresso. Her eyes were the same shade of green as Eamon's, and held the same shape. But her eyes looked like she was wearing an exotic mix of eye shadow, sweeping up and away from her eyes. Her lips were as red as wine. She was wearing a light green dress, made of a lightweight material that flowed over her body. On her head sat a small coronet.

"You're her, aren't you? You're the Goblin Queen!" Rhiannon gasped. She was surprised when the woman busted up laughing, and then Rhiannon noticed the striking woman next to her, with hair of varying colors, and eyes that shone like orbs. Her black riding pants and white poet's shirt did not detract from the fact that she was obviously royalty. Rhiannon pointed at her, "You're Phoenix! Oh, by the Lord and the Lady it worked!'

Sarah and Phoenix watched as the girl crumpled to the floor, sobbing. They helped her back up and placed her in a chair.

"What do we do with her?" Phoenix asked her mother.

"Let's get her more comfortable, and then later we can lead her to Eamon," Sarah said, "After all, who wants to see the love of their life with red, puffy eyes?"

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It was dark by the time they were done. Each family member had come in turn to introduce themselves to her. Jareth had been quite a shock to the young princess.

"Eamon was right, you are like a rock star!" Rhiannon said in awe. They had all fallen down laughing at that, while Jareth had just smirked as if he knew that already.

Agee came in and did her hair, pinning it back simply at the sides, and letting the blonde mass of waves flow down her back. She had been a little freaked out by the goblin at first, but she was reminded of the things Eamon had said, and it calmed her.

Sarah had insisted on making a gown for her, and Rhiannon had almost gasped when the dress popped out of thin air. It fit perfect. It was light blue, made of a lightweight material, and it was off the shoulder. The sleeves were long, and very loose. The dress had a drop waist, and the skirt was simple. Sarah placed a delicate silver chain at the drop waist, so it hugged Rhiannon's hips.

Rhiannon could not wait, and practically ran down the hallways, impatient at having to wait for Sarah and Phoenix to show her the next turn. They finally came upon a large door. Sarah paused one second and then knocked.

"Eamon, it's your mother, open the door please?" Sarah asked politely. There was no answer from within.

"Maybe he is not in his room?" Rhiannon asked.

"No, he's in there. He has been a recluse since he came back. Doesn't eat, doesn't really sleep, and will not open the door for any of us," Phoenix explained. Rhiannon shook her head.

"Well then, let us force our way in," Rhiannon said, and she turned the knob. It did not budge. Rhiannon looked at it, perplexed, "It's locked"

Sarah raised her hand and heard a click signifying she had managed to magic the lock open. Rhiannon turned the knob, and entered the dark room. Sarah and Phoenix waited out in the hallway as Rhiannon closed the door.

"Should we get started on the wedding?" Phoenix asked her mother. Sarah let out a loud laugh and took her daughter's arm as they walked down the hallway.

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Rhiannon did not know whether to be upset at his condition, or flattered. She supposed she should be upset.

Eamon's hair was dirty and tangled. Rhiannon could tell he had not been taking care of himself. He was looking a bit pale too, from what she could see.

"Mom, go away," Eamon said softly.

"Sugar, I can be your mommy if you want me to, but I think we all know that would just not work," Rhiannon said smoothly and with a sigh. Eamon sat up sharply and turned his head so he could see her.

"Rh-Rhiannon?" Eamon asked in amazement, his voice catching.

"In the flesh!" Rhiannon said cheerfully. In a flash, Eamon was there, standing in front of her. If he looked like death itself, she looked like a new spring, all light and cheerful. His mother had worked her magic again.

"How?" Eamon asked.

"I made a German count by the name of Heinrich very happy when I gave him ten million dollars for a family heirloom he had no use for. It just so happens that I was right, the Lord and the Lady did see fit to send me to you. I made a wish, and willingly got myself banished here, the Underground," Rhiannon explained, a bit hurriedly. There was so much to tell him, but right now she only had one thing on her mind. She touched her beloved's cheek and said softly, "Let's get you cleaned up"

Eamon was sure she wanted a kiss or to make love, but to bathe, "What?"

"You stink and you look like the living dead. I want to go to bed with someone who is clean Eamon. Hop to it!" Rhiannon teased him.

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Eamon was sure of two things as he held Rhiannon in his arms later that night: one, life would never be boring with her as his princess and then as his queen. Two, she had been worth the wait. No matter what had happened, no matter how he had gotten there, she had been worth it all. He knew if he had to do it all again, he would not change a thing. Not a single thing.

Rhiannon smiled as she felt Eamon hug her tightly. Her grandmother and grandfather would have been so proud. What you do comes back to you in threes, she had always been told. When this young prince was in need of someone, she had been the one to answer his call. Fate does have a way of rewarding its servants.

The two lovers laid intertwined, small smiles playing about their faces as they drifted off to sleep.

_a/n: That's the end of Eamon and Rhiannon's story. Next is the epilogue, which will mark the end of this story. _


	40. Epilogue

**Underneath the Crystal Moon**

a/n: I do not own Labyrinth. I would like to thank everyone that stuck with me through this one. With so many OC's, it was sometimes hard to keep them straight. I got so many wonderful reviews, and I am so glad all of you have enjoyed it. For those of you that have read this, but never reviewed it, please take the time to tell me what you think of the finished product. Also, there is a family tree and a timeline at the bottom of this page. I am starting research on another Labyrinth fanfic, this one being a total departure from my usual fluffy style. I cannot tell you all of it yet, but it involves Sarah being trained as a ninja. Laugh if you want, but I think it will turn out great. I am also working on an Inuyasha adult fan fiction, and I have a few other tricks up my sleeve. But please, keep looking for stuff to come from me. I may take a little break after this story. I have been working on APS and UCM since about April or May, almost continuously. But I love bringing these stories in my head to you, and I can only hope you like them as much as I do. I would like to thank my husband and my sister (Ammendiana on here) for being my sounding boards. I would like to thank Lady Orchid and Angela Scarlet for being my most faithful reviewers. They take the time to review almost every single chapter, and they are an incredible source of inspiration. Thanks guys! And thanks to all of you who even give my story a glance. You make it all worthwhile.

_**Epilogue**_

Sarah had always been one for keeping the family together, and four months after Princess Consort Rhiannon had given birth to Prince Anarion she got her wish. They were all here. Toby and Cara sat on a blanket near the pond, watching little Princess Persephone walk around on the grass. Damien and Xen were talking in the gazebo, while little Xbel sat by the water, throwing pebbles and watching the water ripple. Phoenix and Aidan each held one of the twin princes, Hayden and Sebastian. Eamon and Rhiannon were sitting on a magically conjured bench, Rhiannon holding Anarion close to her breast. Tanwen was playing a small game of tag with little Ophelia over by the other side of the pond. Aaron was watching everyone with great interest. Princess Celinda of the Ice Lands had been invited to bring their adopted granddaughter, Cassandra, but she had to decline due to obligations at home. Ever since Eamon had gotten back, he had adopted the child as his very own, and Jareth and Sarah felt the same way about the child.

Jareth held Sarah on his lap, a small smile on his face as he watched his children and grandchildren play.

"My dear, who knew that thirty years later we would have all this?" Jareth whispered in her ear. It had been like this all week. They spent their days out in the garden, watching everyone relax and visit. In the evenings they spent their time playing games and talking. On the whole, it had been an almost perfect week. The boys had played poker the other night, and this time Eamon led the singing in the halls, a song Sarah recognized as "You've Lost That Loving Feeling". She did not even wonder where he had learned it, for he had enjoyed his time Aboveground in her old house. The babies were all a joy to be around. Sarah and Jareth had even taken the little ones through parts of the Labyrinth.

"Thirty years ago I was only a slightly lovesick young woman with no idea what I was in for," Sarah smiled at the only love she had ever known. Twenty years they had been married, and every single year it only seemed to get better. They had recently talked about retiring, and letting Eamon and Rhiannon run the show, but she knew Jareth would not give up the throne yet, he still loved it too much. One day he would be ready, and they would be able to live a life of sitting around the garden and dancing in the ballroom. But there was one thing she had yet to tell him, something she had known for only a couple of days, "Jareth?"

Her beloved looked at her and she melted, just like she always did when those eyes focused on her, "What, Sarah?"

"You know how the other night we found ourselves exploring that oubliette…?" Sarah let the question hang in the air. Jareth stared at her and then let out a groan.

"Another one?" he asked in mock pain. He had not known she was going to be so fertile when he married her, "What are you now, forty four?"

Sarah hit him on the arm, "Shut up. You know very damned well I could keep having babies as long as I wanted"

"We will fix that after this one is born. That's will be seven kids, Sarah!"

"I could have ten if you would let me," Sarah stuck her tongue out at him childishly. Jareth let out a loud laugh at her antics, and everyone stared at them.

"Your mother is pregnant again," Jareth told the assembled kids. They all rolled their eyes and went back to what they were doing.

They played like this until the sun went down. Sarah and Jareth made sure everyone was settled in before they walked out onto their balcony and changed form. The two snowy owls flew off into the night, drifting on noiseless wings.

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Three beautiful Fae adults lay on their backs in a moonlit garden, holding hands and staring at the crystal moon. One had pale blond hair with black tips that shone like silver and the bright green eyes of his mother. One had raven black hair with blond streaks and the mismatched eyes of his father. The girl had red hair with streaks of black and white and eyes that shone with the glow of fire, bright orbs of light. They were triplets, three parts of a whole. They were heirs to all their parents surveyed, and held the legacy of a great kingdom.

They had begun to resurrect this old ritual as soon as they were all together at the castle again. At the same time, after their parents took off for the nightly flight, they would all appear in this garden. There were never any words needed, just the necessity of being close, of being near. They all wondered at the complexity of it all. They had dreamed their impossible dreams while laying here. They had imagined what their lives would be like. Not a single one of them thought that their lives would end up like this, nor did they think that anything else would have seemed so right. There was a genuine feeling of contentment, of lassitude, of peace. It all seemed to work, even with all the twists and turns they had been provided.

Phoenix had dreamed of someone who would not fear her, not run from her power.

Damien had longed for someone who could embrace his dark tendencies.

Eamon had wanted someone to love him for who he was, and not his title.

They had all ultimately gotten what they longed for, and did not settle for less.

All their parents ever asked of them was that they marry for love, and they did just that. True love, pure love, once in a lifetime love.

And as they held hands, lying there on the soft grass, they could only dream of what may come, underneath the crystal moon.

**Family Tree** (at the end of the epilogue)

Jareth (no age noted) is married to Sarah (44 in mortal years)

Their children:

Aaron (22) – bachelor

Eamon (20) – married to Rhiannon (20) – 1 child together – Anarion (1) Eamon has adopted Celinda's child Cassandra (1)

Damien (20) – married to Xen (no age noted) – 1 child together – Xbel (2)

Phoenix (20) – married to Aidan (20) – 2 children together – Sebastian and Hayden (1.5)

Tanwen (14)

Ophelia (2)

Relations:

Toby (31) – married to Cara (34) – 1 child together – Persephone (2)

**Timeline**

Dear readers,

Here is a detailed timeline for you to refer to:

- Sarah, at age 15, runs the Labyrinth

- Exactly 10 years later she come to the Underground, becomes Fae, Queen of the Goblins and the Mistress of the Labyrinth. She would be 25.

- About a month after she turned 25, she adopted Aaron, who was almost 2 at the time. About the same time, 11 year old Toby came to live Underground.

- About 3 months after she turned 25, she marries Jareth and becomes pregnant with triplets.

- Cara is 14 when Sarah and Jareth marry.

- About 3.5 months after the wedding is when Sarah defeats Xandra, and Jareth beats Nogrod.

- 4 months after the wedding, Sarah gives birth to the triplets.

- Jareth finds Xen about 2 months after the triplets are born.

- 18 years later is where "Underneath the Crystal Moon" picks up. Aidan is wished away to the Underground just shy of his 18th birthday. Tanwen is 12, and Sarah is pregnant with Ophelia.

- 1 month later, Phoenix and Aidan are engaged, as well as Toby and Cara.

- Ophelia is born about a month later or so.

- Right after Toby and Cara's engagement, Damien goes off to the Tree Kingdom.

- A month later Damien gets Xen pregnant.

- They marry shortly after. Cara announces she is pregnant. Phoenix and Aidan marry after about 6 months. Phoenix is already pregnant when they marry. She gives birth to Hayden and Sebastian.

- a year after Damien and Xen marry is when Eamon is exiled accidentally to the Aboveground. Both Rhiannon and Eamon are 19.

- A month later is when Eamon is banished back by Rhiannon. She follows a few days later.

- 6 months later they are married.

- 2 months after the wedding, Rhiannon gives birth to Prince Anarion, who will become Crown Prince one day.

- The epilogue takes place 4 months after the birth of Anarion.

- When the epilogue takes place it has been almost 30 years since Sarah ran the Labyrinth, and 20 since she married Jareth.


End file.
